Harbinger of Headaches
by aLeX24
Summary: Can Daniel handle parenthood?
1. Part 1

**Disclaimer**: sadly Stargate is not mine …so please don't sue cause I've got nothing but dirty dishes and ridiculously overpriced textbooks.

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**Harbinger of Headaches**

"Welcome back SG1" General Hammond greeted, as the SGC's premier team walked down the ramp to the stargate. "I suspect all trade negotiations went as expected?" he continued. Jack O'Neill grinned at his superior officer.

"You bet sir"

"Excellent, we will debrief in two hours" Hammond said and he stepped aside to let the team go by.

"Oh, Doctor Jackson" he spoke up.

"Yes General?" Daniel asked stopping and turning around to face the older man. The rest of SG1 also stopped waiting for their teammate.

"There has been a woman calling the base, wishing to speak to you. She has made it clear that it is urgent" he said eyeing the archaeologist.

"Uhh, okay" Daniel said uncertainly, wondering who needed to talk to him. "Did she give her name or why she was calling?"

Hammond reached into his pocket and pulling out a piece of paper. "Her name was Liz Merrick and all she said was you must call her back immediately" SG1 and Hammond saw Daniel visibly pale at the name given.

"Uh, thank you for the message" Daniel said quickly and he turned and walked out of the room, leaving his team utterly confused. Hammond frowned at the doctor's behavior, wondering who this woman actually was.

"Colonel, do you know who this Liz Merrick woman is? Has Doctor Jackson ever mentioned anyone by that name before?" the General asked, tilting his head to the side. Jack shook his head,

"No sir," Hammond sighed and shook his head slightly.

"Well, go get your post mission physicals done and eat something before we debrief" SG1 left the gate room, each wondering about their friend who seemed pretty disturbed by the mention of a single name.

"Well Sir, you're in perfect health," Doctor Fraiser stated as Colonel O'Neill finished buttoning up his shirt.

"I coulda told you that Doc, you didn't need to go sticking huge needles in my ass to tell me that."  
"I have to earn my paycheck sir" she retorted with a smile.

"Hey did Daniel happen to come down here?" Jack asked, hopping off the gurney.

"Yes sir, I took his blood and looked him over, but he left very quickly saying he had an important call to make, and then you all came in a minute later.

"Oh, okay, thanks Doc" Jack nodded and he left the infirmary in search of his friend.

"Sir wait up" Sam called after him just as he reached the infirmary entrance. "We'll go with you," she said as she and Teal'c caught up to him. They didn't need to be told he was going to check on Daniel.

"Hey Daniel you in here?" Jack said as he, Sam and Teal'c entered Daniels office. What they saw was Daniel sitting at his desk holding a piece of paper in his hands staring off into space.

"Daniel are you alright?" Sam asked stepping forward and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Wha- oh hey guys, yeah I'm fine Sam, why wouldn't I be?" he asked putting down the paper and turning in his chair to look at his team who were all looking at him with concern.

"Well," Jack began walking over to Daniels desk and picking up the paper and noticing it had a phone number on it. "For starters, you kinda went all pale and freaked out when Hammond mentioned that lady's name, and second we come down here and find you staring at some phone number like you're afraid of it" Jack said blatantly looking at his friend.

"I'm fine guys, you don't need to worry" he reassured them, but they could all see in his eyes he wasn't all right.

"Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said.

"Yes Teal'c" Daniel answered looking up at the Jaffa from his seat.

"Who is the woman Liz Merrick?" Jack inwardly smiled at Teal'cs forwardness, asking the one question that neither Sam nor himself could bring them selves to do.

"She uh... um..." Daniel looked at his hands trying to find the right words to answer the question. He didn't want to lie to his friends, but the truth was hard to talk about for him. Not a day went by that he didn't think of what that woman had done to him and he could never forgive her for it.

"She was my wife" he said watching his friends expressions go from incredibly surprised to equally confused, well each except Teal'c who simply inclined his head slightly in question.

"Was?" Jack asked breaking the awkward silence. Daniel sighed and took his glasses off, pinching the bridge of his nose. He really didn't want to get into this at the moment. Not until he called her back first, but then again things didn't always go the way he wanted, as he learned the hard way time after time.

"I had our marriage annulled," he said simply, only giving them the barest of information.

"Why?" Sam asked.

"I decided it just wasn't working out anymore" he replied cryptically.

"And why was that?" Jack pried, knowing they would have to ask the right questions to get a full answer out of him since he obviously didn't want to talk about it. Daniel was silent; he looked at the phone number sadly. Exhaling loudly, he ran a hand over his tired face.

"She just up and left one day while I was out trying to get grants for dig"

"And?" Jack pushed, knowing there was something else.

" And she took our daughter with her and I never saw them again" he said putting his glasses back on and sitting straighter in his seat, feeling somewhat better having told them that.

"Daughter?!" Jack and Sam said simultaneously.

"I did not know you had fathered a child Daniel Jackson" Teal'c commented. Daniel let out a sad laugh,

"No body does Teal'c," he said.

"When did she leave? It would have been before you went to Abydos right?" Sam asked, not having to say that it must have been before Sha're.

"We got married young, I was twenty and she was nineteen" Daniel started, deciding he would explain the whole situation. "She found out she was pregnant not long after we married and nine months later Rachel was born," he said with a far away look in his eyes, remembering the innocence that he had wanted to protect forever in the big blue eyes that would watch him from the crib in their bedroom.

Daniel was quiet for a few moments, and SG1 just watched him, waiting for him finish his explanation.

"I took a teaching job at the local university so I could be close to home. It was just after Rachel's third birthday that I came home from trying to get grants for a dig in Brazil that Liz, Rachel and I would go to, but found most of their clothes and Rachel's toys and stuff gone." Daniel looked down at his lap once again to hide the tears forming in his eyes. Breathing deeply he looked up at his friends before finishing his story. "No note, no phone call, or anything. I haven't heard from Liz at all in the last thirteen years."

"Oh Daniel I'm so sorry" Sam said, having fought the urge to cry after hearing the pain and the love in his voice when he spoke of his child. Jack was silent. He was thinking back to all the times Daniel had tried to get him to talk about Charlie and he had shut him out, telling him that he wouldn't understand what it felt like to lose a child. Though their circumstances were different, it was still the same thing and Jack felt bad.

"It's okay Sam" Daniel said standing up.

"You know, we should probably be going to the briefing about now," he said glancing down at his watch.

"I could tell Hammond your really busy down here if you like, and you could call uh... your.. uh ex, to see what she wanted, if you like, rather than going to the briefing" Jack offered. Daniel appreciated the thought but felt he should be at home when he called her, for privacy reasons.

"That's alright Jack I'll call her when I get home later" he stated and with that he left the room, heading for the elevators.

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To be continued… if you guys like it that is…


	2. Part 2

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Stargate… not yet anyways muahaha…

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**Harbinger of Headaches**

Daniel closed the door to his apartment as he entered the dark living room. The briefing had been longer than he'd expected and it was now almost midnight. Pouring a cup of coffee into a large mug, he walked into his living room and sat on the couch cradling his phone in one hand and the piece of paper with his ex-wife's phone number on it in the other hand. Sighing, knowing it was probably too late to be calling her, he dialed anyways and listened to the rings as it seemed like an eternity before someone picked up. His heart was beating a mile a minute as a female voice answered dully.

"Hello?" Daniel could feel the irritation growing on the other end of the line, as he said nothing. All he could hear was the pounding in his ears of his own heart. The voice was not Liz's, he knew that much, which led him to wonder if on the other end was his daughter, now sixteen years old.

"Hello?" the voice asked again. "I'm hanging up if you don't talk" the voice threatened. Daniel swallowed the lump in his throat and spoke up.

"Hello, is Liz there?"

"Yeah one second" the voice said and he could hear the phone being put down on a table.

"Mom! Phone!" He heard whoever answered yell from a distance._ Rachel_, he thought unbelievingly.

"Hello?" He heard his ex's voice say. Suddenly he was filled with rage at what she had stolen from him.

"Liz" he said coldly.

"Daniel," she realized after a moment, "I, uh, didn't think you would call" she said honestly.

"Well, if I thought I had a chance of at the very least talking to my daughter, who you stole from me I might add, I'm sure as hell going to call you back. Besides I heard you have been calling where I work quite a bit lately and I want to know why." he stated harshly, surprised by his own anger. "Was that Rachel who answered the phone?" he asked in a softer tone, needing to know.

"Yes" was the reply. Tears welled up in his eyes and he blinked furiously to get rid of them.

"And I called you Daniel because there is something very important I need to talk to you about."

"Well what is it?" he asked, not caring if he sounded rude.

"I'd rather discuss it in person, if that's alright with you" Liz said softly, sounding like the woman he had loved and adored so many years ago.

"Okay, when and where?" he questioned, hoping it would be the next day.

"My house tomorrow at noon, I'll make lunch or something" she said.

"Alright" he confirmed and he wrote down the address and directions she gave him.

"See you then" she said and hung up leaving Daniel staring at her address. They lived in the next town over, only about a half hours drive from Colorado Springs. _They've been so close all along,_ he thought sadly.__

Daniel barely slept that night. He lay in his bed staring at the ceiling, wondering what his daughter looked like, what she liked, disliked - just everything about her. He woke up early and called the base saying that he wouldn't be in that day, due to family things. Hammond had no problems with him taking a day off since it was often difficult to get Daniel to even leave the base.

The drive to Liz's house was uneventful; Daniel simply stared straight ahead, only glancing around every so often to make sure he got on the right streets.

Pulling into a driveway of a red brick bungalow, he turned the car off and walked to the front door. He didn't expect he would see Rachel since it was the middle of the day and she would most likely be in school. He knocked on the door and waited a few moments until he heard footsteps nearing the door. It opened to reveal a five foot six woman, with short-cropped blond hair and green eyes. It looked like his ex, but what Daniel saw was a frail, sickly looking woman with dark circles and bags under her eyes, dull hair and tell-tale lines of exhaustion lining her face. She looked at least ten years older than she should.

"Liz?" he asked, just to be sure. She nodded, understanding how he may not recognize her.

"Please come in" she said, moving to the side to allow him passage. She led him to the living room where he sat on the couch and she sat carefully in a large worn chair.

"Do you want anything to drink?" she asked kindly, taking in how well the man she had always loved, even after she left, looked. Daniel shook his head.

"You probably want to know why I called you after all of these years." she started out.

"The thought had crossed my mind."

"And you probably also want to know why I left with Rachel, but I need to tell you a few things first. And if you can stand to stay a while after I've told you, then you can see Rachel when she comes home after school if you like." she offered. His eyes lit up, and she found her heart breaking, remembering how he'd had the same look when she had told him she was pregnant.

"Daniel, I'm sick," she stated clasping her hands together in her lap. "Although you probably noticed already.... I have breast cancer and I'm dying. The doctors say that treatment won't do anything anymore, and that the chemo therapy I've had has done nothing to stop the cancer.  
"I have spent the last few months trying to track you down, and finally I found that you were hired by the military and work in Colorado Springs, so I kept phoning until you called back." She paused thinking over how to phrase what she had to say next.

"Take Rachel" she stated simply. Daniels jaw dropped.

"What?" he asked

"Take her, I don't want her to see me get any worse… I don't want her to see me die. Her life has been hard enough, she doesn't need to have me causing her more grief." Liz said self-depreciatively.

"What do you mean her life has been hard enough already?" Daniel asked, curious as to what she meant.

"When Rachel was about eight years old I got mixed up in drugs and I started drinking heavily. The police took her away from me and she was put into foster care up until a year ago. She won't talk about it but I suspect that she was abused in some foster homes." Daniel closed his eyes briefly cursing whatever god was out there that let his little girl get hurt.

"So you see I just want to do what's best for her, that's all." Liz finished.

"Not that I don't want her, because I do, but won't she feel like you are getting rid of her? Dumping her with some man she doesn't know?" he pointed out.

"Believe me I have thought this through and through, and this is what's best." she said confidently. Daniel was silent. When he finally looked at Liz again, he regarded her carefully, and looked her in the eye.

"I'd be happy to take her, but she will continue to see you as well, even if in short visits. Trust me, you don't want to lose her, and have a little faith, I bet she's tougher than you give her credit for." he compromised. She smiled, relief washing over her features.

"Daniel there's something I must warn you about her first"

"What?" he asked frowning slightly.

"She… how do I put this..." her brows furrowed. "She'll be a handful - she hates everything and wont listen to what anyone tells her to do. She skips school, hangs out with bad people and tends to stay out all night almost every night". Daniel rubbed his temple with his left hand. He knew there was a catch. But he would take his daughter any way she came.

"Drugs?" he asked figuring he should know exactly what he was getting himself into.

"No, she doesn't seem to be into that or drinking. Probably because she's seen what they can do to a person first hand…" she trailed off.

"Just one more thing," he began, wanting to set the one thing that had been bugging him for the whole time, straight, "you didn't tell her I was dead did you?" he asked, fearing the answer.

Liz shook her head, and Daniel let out the breath he had been holding. "I would never tell her that, because I knew she _would_ see you again," she said looking down guiltily.

"Which leads me to my next question," he brought up.

"Why I left?" she said. Daniel nodded and leaned back in the couch, preparing for a lengthy explanation.

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Thanks to **chilipepperz61, Kate**, and **adora-chillwind** for reviewing.


	3. Part 3

**Dislclaimer**: Stargate SG1 is not mine, nor will it ever be. The closest I will get to owning it is my seasons 1-6 on DVD. **

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**Harbinger of Headaches**

"Someone was threatening Rachel's life? Just to get the dig in Brazil to themselves?" Daniel summed up, after hearing her reasons for leaving. Liz nodded. "You should have told me, or told the police, I would have stopped trying to get it and just kept teaching!" he said, she could hear the hurt in his voice.

"I know, I was afraid and running was the first thing I thing I thought of at the time. I had to get Rachel out of there." she reasoned.

"Why didn't you come back?"

"I was too ashamed to face you, I didn't think you'd ever forgive me for leaving in the first place… before I knew it, it'd been so long and I wasn't sure if I went back, that'd you'd take me… I should have never left." she stated honestly. Daniel sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He had heard so much in the three hours he'd been there; it was all just so unbelievable.

The sound of the front door opening made both adults turn in their seats.

"Rachel?" Liz called.

"What?" was the snapped reply.

"Could you come in here please?" Liz asked tiredly. Daniel could tell she wasn't feeling well. Daniel watched the doorway as a girl, with long layered blond hair reaching the middle of her back, entered the living room. She was wearing a red t-shirt and dark blue jeans. She crossed her tanned arms over her chest and leaned against the wall. Her blue eyes belayed her annoyance at being called into the room and she sighed loudly.

"What?" she asked again, looking pointedly at her mother. Daniel was in awe - he was finally seeing his little girl. She looked so much like her mother had when he met her. He blinked a couple times trying to stop staring, not wanting to scare her into thinking he was some old guy ogling her.

"Come sit down, I want you to meet somebody" Liz said nervously.

"I'm fine where I am" Rachel said, eyeing Daniel curiously.

"Rachel, sit" Liz said impatiently, her voice raising a notch. Choosing not to argue with her mom, the teen sat down on the chair that Liz had been on when she and Daniel first began talking.

"Sweetheart, this is Daniel"

"oo-kay"

"Daniel is your father" Rachel's eyes widened slightly and she just stared at him. She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it and shifted her gaze to her mother.

"Why is he here?" she said in a small voice.

"Well we have been talking and feel that it's best for you if you go and live with him from now on." Liz said, not noticing the hurt look Rachel gave her. Daniel, however, didn't miss it and his heart went out to her. The way that Liz had said it made it seem like she was just ditching the teenager.

"You want me to go live with him so I won't see you die, right?" Rachel guessed, surprising both adults. She didn't seem all that phased by the abruptness of the conversation.

"Well not only that," Daniel began, ignoring the looks Liz was shooting him for telling Rachel the truth, "I want to get to know you. I have been out of your life for so long and we think its time I was a part of it again".

"Fair enough" Rachel said dryly, "but why have you 'been out of my life for so long'?" she quoted, looking at him pointedly now. Daniel glanced at Liz who nodded and proceeded to tell her daughter the same story she told Daniel.

"Do you have any questions or anything you want to say sweetheart?" Liz asked. Rachel shook her head, she shot Daniel another look, which he had noticed her doing a lot through out Liz's story.

"So… you got a last name?" she asked. Daniel chuckled.

"Jackson" he supplied.

"Where do you live?" was the next question. The phone rang and Liz got up leaving father and daughter alone.

"In Colorado Springs" She nodded, pulling her feet up under her and getting comfortable in the chair. Daniel figured it was time to interrogate him, so he leaned back and got comfortable as well.

"Occupation?"

"Archaeologist and linguist"

"Nerd?"

"One of the finest" he retorted, having learnt from Jack the finer points of comebacks.

"What exactly does an archaeologist do in Colorado Springs?" she asked as many did when they heard what he did for a living.

"Civilian consultant for the Air Force." He looked at her closely, she didn't look like a bad kid, just one with some issues that no body ever took the time to deal with.

"Girlfriend or wife?" she asked interrupting his thoughts. He shook his head, he would tell her about Sha're later when they had more time to talk.

"What about you?" he asked.

"No girlfriend, no wife"

"Boyfriend?" he asked, knowing he was probably treading on thin ice.

"Nope"

"Job?"

"Yep"

"Where?"

"Some music store," she said shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly.

"Rachel." Liz said coming back into the room holding the cordless phone in her hand. "Why did the school just call and tell me you have been absent for the last week?" she was not at all impressed. Daniel watched the domestic exchange occur, it was something he knew he'd end up dealing with when Rachel moved in with him.

"Cause I was absent for the last week" Rachel responded like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why are you cutting classes again?" Liz demanded.

"Cause school is so completely boring and useless, besides I'm not cutting class _again_, I never stopped," she answered getting up and heading out of the room. Liz grabbed her arm and stopped her,

"And just where do you think you're going?"

"Out, I don't need this shit"

"You are not going anywhere young lady"

"Try and stop me" Rachel snarled and she pulled her arm free from her mothers grasp and left the room. They could hear the front door open and then slam shut a few seconds later.

"Good luck" Liz said to Daniel who was sitting quietly, observing the whole ordeal. "You're going to need it".

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Yeah, yeah - a short chapter I know, but that was probably the best place to stop it… the next chapter will have plenty more of Daniel and his daughter. There will also a lot more of the rest of SG1 in upcoming chapters. 

Please Review. Love it? Hate it? I want to know.


	4. Part 4

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"So what do I call you?" Rachel asked when she and Daniel were driving to his apartment. She requested that she see the place before she moved in.

"What do you mean?" he said, glancing sideways at her while he drove.

"I've known you all of three hours, so calling you dad is weird," she admitted.

"Good point" he acknowledged. "Daniel's fine." he tried.

"Okie dokie... Danny-boy"

"But not Danny-boy" he stated firmly. She sounded way too much like Jack when she had said that.

"Whatever" she said hiding a smirk.

"Are you sure you're okay with this whole thing?" he wondered. He saw Rachel shrug from the corner of his eye.

"Yeah" she said quietly. He didn't believe her at all.

"I mean it's okay if you're not, cause you will be starting a new school, living somewhere new with someone you don't know, leaving your friends... and your mom"

"What's your point?" she sighed.

"If you ever want to talk-"

"I won't," she confirmed. He inwardly frowned. He had no idea how to take care of a teenager. The only time he spent with a teen was when SG1 got together to spend time with Cassie, but that was only a few hours at a time in a group, not 24/7 alone. He would definitely have to ask Janet for advice, or even Jack. Daniel thought of how his team would react to this change. One day their archaeologist was widowed and living alone, the next day he was married _twice, _widowed, divorced and a father to a sixteen year old girl. Things were definitely going to be different.

"Here we are," he said as he pulled up in front of his apartment building. Rachel nodded and got out of the car to stand on the sidewalk.

"Okay, let's go up" Daniel said pointing up as he locked the doors and they walked to the large double glass doors at the entrance.

"Evening Doctor Jackson" the doorman said kindly. Rachel raised her eyebrows. Daniel hadn't mentioned being a _doctor_. "Who's this lovely young lady?" the round man asked making conversation.

"Uh…" Daniel began not used to having to introduce anyone as his child.

"Rachel" she supplied, "his unruly offspring" she said with a wry smile.

"Gee Doctor Jackson, I didn't know you had kids" the man said obviously shocked.

"Now you do," Rachel muttered as the man opened the door for them.

"Be nice" Daniel told her as they moved out of earshot of the doorman.

"I was being nice"

"Be _nicer_ then" he exhaled rolling his eyes skyward as they got on the elevator.

"So Doc, how far is it from here to the nearest school?" Rachel asked.

"About a fifteen minute walk, why?"

"Just wondering,"

"What time do you get home from work?"

"It varies, and I'm going to have to work some things out with my... uh boss so that I'm here more often" he answered honestly. He hadn't thought about work yet, he was just so happy about getting his daughter back that everything else slipped his mind. But General Hammond and Jack and everybody would understand that he would need to be at home more often now and so it wouldn't be too much of a problem. He just wouldn't go off world as often with SG1 and could do more lab work instead to allow a normal workday. It wasn't like there weren't other people in his department at the base that couldn't go off world. It would be a good experience for any number of them who primarily just studied things that were brought back from missions.

"I see." she said as she followed him off the elevator when it reached his floor and down the hall to his door.

"This is it," he said opening the door and stepping in holding the door open as she slowly walked in looking around with curious eyes.

"Lots of old stuff," she observed as her eyes scanned the walls, shelves and tables.

"Well I am an archaeologist" he reminded her. She nodded her head and walked over to a wall where there were swords displayed.

"Cool" he heard her murmur. Smiling to himself he hung up his coat and watched her.

"Want anything to eat or drink?" he asked knowing she hadn't had any dinner yet since she ran out of her house earlier.

She had returned an hour later and asked to see his apartment and they had left right away. Daniel suspected that she just wanted to get away from her mom for a while and so he agreed to take her, promising to bring her home later that night. Rachel just shrugged and continued to walk around looking at his artifacts closely, but never touching them. He would have to fix that in time. He would want her to pick things up and examine them closely and ask about them, it was the only way you could learn anything valuable.

When he was a child his foster parents would always tell him not to touch anything and they discouraged him asking questions about anything, so he had resorted to books for answers. But books gave only so much information, and that's where personal experience came in.

"I could order a pizza if you want" he offered and was pleased when she turned to face him and said simply,

"Sure"

"Okay what do you like on it?" he asked.

"Anything but anchovies and peppers" she said abnormally shyly, not sounding sure she should be making requests. Daniel chalked it up to being in foster care. Some families hated it when their foster kids said or did anything that would change the normal routines, and Daniel knew that all to well.

"Pepperoni, mushroom and bacon sound okay?" receiving a nod from Rachel, who had turned back to a collection or tribal masks he had, he picked up the phone and ordered two pizzas.

For the next twenty minutes while they were waiting for dinner to arrive, Daniel watched Rachel as she continued to look at his artifacts. There was a knock at the door and both turned to face it. Daniel walked to the door pulling his wallet from his back pocket and was surprised when he opened it to see Jack standing there holding his pizzas.

"Hey Danny-boy, watcha up to?"

"Jack" Daniel said slowly. "Why do you have my dinner?" he asked

"I intercepted the delivery guy and told him I'd bring it to ya"

"…Oh"

"So can I come in or what?" Jack asked pushing past his friend into the apartment, stopping dead in his tracks when he saw a teenage girl standing in the middle of the living room.

"Hi?" Jack said confusedly. Daniel chuckled. For once Jack was without sarcastic comment.

"Who's this Daniel?"

"Rachel" he answered. Jack turned his head to look at the younger man.

"As in 'daughter you haven't seen in thirteen years' Rachel?" he asked.

"That'd be me," she said, not liking being talked about like she wasn't there.

"Jack, Rachel." Daniel introduced.

"Rachel, this is my friend Jack," he said wondering why she was eyeing them both carefully.

"You're not gay are you?" she asked bluntly getting the wrong idea of Jacks presence. Daniel choked out a no, his face turning pink.

"Ew" Jack said, understanding what she was implying.

"Here kid take your pizza," he walked over and handed it to her.

"So who are you?" she asked him sitting on the couch. Jack sat down in an armchair beside the couch.

"Jack O'Neill"

"Yeh I got that part, do you work with him or something?" she asked motioning to the kitchen where Daniel was getting plates for the pizza.

"Yep"

"What do you do?"

"I'm a Colonel"

"And what does a Colonel do?" she rolled her eyes.

"What ever a Colonel wants to," he answered rolling his eyes back at her.

"Well, nice to meetcha Colonel Jack" she said giving up. She may just have met her match. Jack smiled at the nickname as he grabbed a piece of pizza.

Dinner went on with out any mishaps. Daniel and Jack chatted amiably as Rachel sat quietly listening. She was watching Daniel wondering how her life would have been different if she had always known him. He seemed like a nice enough guy. He dressed well and came off as very intelligent. But looks could be deceiving, as she had found out many times in her life.

Yawning Rachel ran a hand through her hair and put her napkin on her plate. Daniel noticed this and finished off his pizza saying,

"I could take you back now if you're tired" Rachel shook her head telling him she wasn't that tired, but he assumed she just didn't want to go back to her moms house.

Jack and Daniel continued talking about random things, not noticing Rachel fall asleep on the other end of the couch that she and Daniel were seated on. Jack looked at his watch and stood up.

"I should be going... are you going to come into work tomorrow or should I tell Hammond you're taking some personal leave for a bit?" he asked his friend.

"No, that's alright Jack I'll be in tomorrow, but later in the week I'll take a couple days off to get Rachel all moved in here"

"Okie dokie" was the shrugged reply.

"See ya" he said and walked to the door letting himself out of the apartment. Daniel looked down at the sleeping form of his daughter. He watched her for a few moments just staring at her features. She looked so much like her mother. He smiled at the thought of her living with him. He would actually be able to get to know her, and maybe help her get through some of her issues. He knew all too well what living in foster care was like. In more than one home he had been beaten, neglected or verbally abused and he just hoped that she hadn't had to endure any serious abuse.

As if replying to what he was wondering Rachel began waving her arms slightly and her legs made small kicks in her sleep. She was saying something but it was incoherent to Daniel until she started pleading, "no, no, stop" as she swung her arms at an invisible assailant. Tears coursed down her face, as she remained trapped in the nightmare.

Daniel shut his eyes sadly momentarily. He had prayed she hadn't been hurt in any way, but from what he was witnessing his prayers went unanswered. He knelt down on the floor beside where she was lying and tried to get a grip on her arms as she flailed her hands at him hitting aimlessly trying to get away.

"Please" she continued to plead; "stop" she choked out in between her sobs. Daniels heart broke. He swallowed hard pushing back his own tears at what he was hearing.

"Hey, hey, Rachel, it's okay" he said softly over and over again as she slowly relaxed. With out warning she bolted up into a sitting position knocking Daniel backwards into the table. She pulled out of his grasp and pushed herself in the couch as far as she could. Fear was all he saw in her eyes.

"Are you alright?" he asked moving to sit on the coffee table behind him.

"Fine" she answered a little too quickly.

"That was a pretty bad nightmare," he said immediately regretting commenting in it. She winced and looked at her lap, "sorry" she said in no more than a whisper.

"Hey, there's no need to be sorry, everyone has nightmares, even me" he said sympathetically. She pulled her legs to her chest and a few tears rolled down her cheeks. Daniel reached out a hand to comfort her but she pushed it away and stood up, brushing past him.

"I should be getting back," she stated, her voice cracking as she struggled to keep her emotions under control. Rachel kept walking towards the door and got her jacket, putting it on.

"Uh, okay" he replied, confused by her instantaneous change in composure. He saw her breath deeply and wipe her eyes as she waited at the door for him. The walls went back up. She didn't say another word to him as he drove back to Liz's house.

"See ya" was all she mumbled as she got out of the car at her house and left Daniel wanting to seriously harm who ever would make her so closed off to the world and scared to let anyone in.

* * *

Okie dokie, there's another chapter done! I don't know if anyone's actually reading this… but oh well it's been sitting in my computer for over a year now and has decided it wants out.

Please review. I would love to hear what people think, even if it's bad.

Next chapter up soon!


	5. Part 5

* * *

"Hey Daniel wait up" Sam called as she jogged to catch up to her friend in the corridor at the SGC.

"Oh hey Sam" he said absently, a far away look in his eyes.

"What's up? You were practically walking into the walls" she commented.

"I've just got some things on my mind that's all" he answered.

"Did you find out what your, uh..." Sam fought to think of the right thing to call Liz.

"My ex wife?"

"Yeah," Sam said sheepishly, "did you find out what she wanted?" Daniel chuckled puzzling Sam.

"Yeah, I met with her yesterday and we talked and stuff." he began as they entered his office. Sam sensed he wanted to tell her something, so she remained silent and let him talk.

"And she asked me to take in our daughter" Sam choked on the coffee she had just taken a sip of.

"You saw Rachel?!" she exclaimed with wide eyes, wiping some coffee from her chin that had leaked from her mouth. Daniel nodded with a large smile.

"Why does your ex want you to take her?"

"Liz is in the end stage of cancer and doesn't want Rachel to see her die"

"Oh, that's so terrible. Isn't there any sort of treatment she can take?" Sam asked. She had lost her own mother at an early age and would hate to see any other young girl suffer the loss.

"No, she's tried everything and the doctors don't think there is anything else they can do for her" he replied, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"So what's Rachel look like?" Sam said changing the subject.

"She's about five and a half feet tall, blond hair like yours, blue eyes… and that's about it." He said. Sam rolled her eyes at her typical male friend... of course he would only notice the basic features the girl had.

"Sounds like you'll have to scare off the hordes of boys that'll be after her" Sam joked.

"I'll do my best," he said with a small grin. He was actually going to be able to do the things fathers get to do.

"Are you going to take time off to get her settled in?" Sam queried.

"Yeah, I'm going to go talk to General Hammond in a few minutes about taking a couple days off at the end of the week… and I have to arrange my work hours so that I'll be home more often when Rachel is." Sam nodded. She knew that Daniel cutting back on work was inevitable as soon as he'd told her Rachel was going to stay with him.

"So less missions with SG1 I guess then huh?" Daniel nodded hesitantly. He loved being on SG1 and discovering new cultures on different planets but Rachel would probably only be around for a couple more years before she went or college or university or moved out, and he wanted to be there for her as much as possible.

"Well I'm very happy for you Daniel, you deserve this" Sam said patting his arm before she got up and left the room to leave Daniel to go to Hammond.

-

"Hey Daniel, how'd it go with Hammond?" Jack called, catching up to his younger friend on the way to the commissary.

"Fine Jack," Daniel replied as they walked avoiding running into a bunch of new recruits getting a tour of the base. "He said I could take as much time off as I need to get Rachel settled in, and that we can talk later about reducing my hours here." He pushed his glasses up on his nose.

"Good stuff… so has the kid spoken to you at all?" Jack joked, having noticed Rachel's aversion to talking to Daniel.

"Not really" Daniel answered back honestly. "But she'll have to talk to me eventually" he pointed out hopefully.

"Yeah…" Jack muttered, "eventually".

-

Daniel walked up the front steps of his ex-wife's house. He was there to pick up Rachel and get her moved in to his apartment. He looked back at Jack's truck he had borrowed, in case Rachel had a lot of stuff to move, and then back at the door just as it opened revealing an even sicker looking Liz.

"Liz, you don't look so well" he said, knowing she was past needing people to pretend she was fine and tell her she looked good.

"I'm okay" she smiled, letting him in the house.

"Rachel, Daniels here. Are you ready?" she called up the stairs. A few moments of silence passed before they both heard the teenager's footsteps down the hardwood stairs.

"Yeah, yeah, you don't have to yell" Rachel grouched adjusting her backpack on her shoulder. She brushed her hair from her eyes and looked dully at her parents.

"Ok, let's go" she said dismally to Daniel. She picked up one of the nine big boxes that were sitting in the hallway and walked out the door.

"Quite a few boxes" he commented.

"Mostly her books, she reads almost as much as you did when I met you" Liz said.

"Take good care of her Daniel" Liz said quietly, looking down at the floor. He sighed inwardly, and stepped forward pulling Liz into a tight embrace.

"I will, I promise," he swore, and he intended on keeping his promise. Neither adult saw Rachel standing in the doorway watching them hug.  
She stared sadly at what could have been.  
Shaking her head she cleared her throat, alerting them to her presence, and came in and got another box. Daniel and Liz pulled away and looked at the teen. Liz thinking about the daughter she was losing, again. And Daniel about the daughter he was finally gaining.

"Hey am I gonna get any help?" Rachel inquired. Snapping out his reverie Daniel nodded and went to get a box to bring out. Liz went and sat on a chair on the front porch and watched as her first love helped move their child out of her home. She let one tear escape down her cheek and then quickly wiped it away, telling herself to wait until they'd gone to cry. After a couple more trips in and out of the house, the truck was loaded and Daniel and Rachel were standing before Liz on the driveway.

"Bye sweetie" Liz said, pulling her daughter into a bear hug. Rachel didn't hug back, just stood there stiffly.

"Bye" Rachel said quietly, as her mother released her.

"Bye Daniel, it's been good to see you again" Liz pulled him into a hug again. Daniel frowned, Liz seemed to be saying good-bye, but he was going to make sure that this was not the last that Rachel or he saw of Liz.

"Got everything?" he looked down at Rachel. She nodded, blond hair swaying slightly. "Okay, then let's go" he grinned.

Liz moved back to the front porch and watched as Daniel started the truck and pulled out of the driveway. She smiled and waved and stood watching, as they disappeared around the corner, before she went inside. She fell to her knees just inside the door and cried harder than she ever had before. She had just lost her world.

-

"Guess we'll have to get you a bigger bookshelf huh?" Daniel commented, as he watched Rachel try to find places for the left over books that wouldn't fit in the already huge shelf. She shrugged and went back to putting her stuff away.

"So… are you doing anything tonight?" he asked curiously. It was a Friday night and he assumed that she would try to stay out all night doing god knows what.

"Goin out" she answered not looking up from unpacking her computer from its box.

"Where?"

"Dunno yet" she pulled out a tangle of power cords and stood there untying the knots patiently.

"With who then?"

"People" Daniel sighed… this was going to be harder than he had thought.

"Do these people have names?" he inquired.

"Yes"

"And they would be?"

"Why do you care?" she looked up accusingly, her voice raising a notch. Her mom had never spent this long trying to find out where she was going and with whom.

"Cause it's my job, so who are you going out with, and when will you be home?" he said sternly. Rachel regarded him carefully for a moment.

"When do I have to be home?" she asked.

"Well I'm not going to give you a curfew, but I would like to know who you'll be with and where you're going"

"No curfew?"

"Nope" Rachel didn't say a word for a few moments as she continued to untangle the power cords. Finally pulling the last two cords apart she looked up at Daniel who still was leaning on the doorframe waiting for an answer.

"I'm goin to the movies, with a couple friends… Evan and Derrick."

"Okay, have fun" he said, and left the room. Leaving Rachel standing there with her mouth hanging open. That was it? He wasn't going to interrogate her about her friends for hours? This man confused her. He was supposed to be mean and domineering, that's what parents were. Shaking her head she continued to hook up her computer.

Daniel walked into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. His approach was working. If he didn't seem too forceful or controlling, maybe, just maybe she would open up to him and they might actually get along.

-

Daniel was flipping through an archaeology magazine when he heard the front door open. Glancing at the clock he was pleased to see it was only midnight. He turned his head to see Rachel enter and shut and lock the door.

"How was your night?" he asked. Rachel came in the room and leaned against the doorframe. She shrugged in response.

"Did you have fun?" he tried. Again she shrugged as an answer.

"…Can you speak?" he sighed. She smirked and shrugged her shoulders once again before pushing off the wall and going to her room.

"G'night" she called as she shut her door.

"Night" he said quietly. She was going to be a handful, Liz was right. But he was definitely up for the challenge.

* * *

More soon people.  
Thanks to all who have reviewed so far :) its greatly appreciated.


	6. Part 6

* * *

"Rachel, you're going to be late for school!" Daniel called from the kitchen as he drank his second cup of coffee. He'd had Rachel for a couple days now and everything seemed to be going well. She would come and go as she pleased but he always needed to know where and with whom. She didn't mind so much, since he hadn't yelled or anything yet and she actually found herself coming home at decent hours so not to ruin the balance that had been created.

"Rachel" he called again, putting down his cup. He exited the kitchen and bumped smack dab into his daughter.

"Oof!" she exclaimed as she was pushed back a bit.

"Ready?" Daniel asked looking down at her. She was wearing blue jeans and a black t-shirt that said 'I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was going to **blame **you.' on it in white writing.   
"Nice shirt" he commented. She smiled a bit and nodded her head to his question. "Okay let's go" he grinned and she followed him out the front door, not quite as excited as he was about starting a new school.

As they waited for an elevator Rachel looked up at Daniel thoughtfully, but the turned her head away, not saying what she was thinking. Daniel noticed this and glanced at her form the corner of his eye.

"What?" he asked. She looked at the elevator wall and then at him.

"I saw some pictures on your bookshelf, and there was one of a lady with dark hair… who is she?" Rachel asked quietly, curiosity winning the internal battle she was having about whether or not to delve into his personal life.

"She was my wife," he answered honestly. Now was as good a time as any to talk about Sha're. Rachel nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"We were married for about a year before she was... kidnapped, and then killed a couple years later."

"That sucks" Rachel stated as the elevator doors opened and they stepped in.

"Yeah, yeah it does" he replied quietly, thinking how well her words seemed to sum up that whole situation.

They pulled up to the high school where Rachel would be going and Daniel saw Cassie standing with some friends near the parking lot. He turned to the teen beside him.

"Excited?"

"Thrilled."

Cassie noticed Daniels car and ran over to him giving him a big hug when he stepped out. She had heard about Rachel from her mother and Sam. Rachel was left a little confused as to why a teenage girl was hugging her dad.

"Weird" Rachel muttered as she too got out of the car and waited around the front of it for her dad and the girl to stop chatting.

"Ahem" Rachel cleared her throat. Cassie looked over at the girl who was just a tad shorter than her self.

"Hi" she greeted cheerily, "I'm Cassie, Daniel and my mom work together" she stuck out her hand to shake. Rachel accepted the handshake uncertainly and regarded Cassie carefully. The girl was just a little too perky for Rachel's liking - too much the cheerleader type.

"I'll show you around today, cause I know how it feels to be the new girl and everything. We're gonna have so much fun." Cassie squeaked and went and linked her arm in Rachel's and dragged the blond girl away. Daniel laughed and wished he had a camera at the look of complete desperation his daughter gave him.

Daniel headed to the base after that and arrived at the same time as Jack.

-

"Hey Daniel, how's the first day of school goin?" He was still getting used to the idea that his friend had a teenage daughter.

"Alright I guess… Cassie had made herself honorary tour guide and best friend for the day, so Rachel should be alright for the time being."

"Sweet" Jack responded as they went through checkpoints and finally made it to the elevators.

"I told her about Sha're" Daniel spoke up in the silent ride down to the briefing room.

"Yeah, and how'd she react?"

"She just accepted it… didn't say much or show any feelings she may have had on the subject"

"Have you actually had a conversation with her yet?" Jack half smiled, trying to picture Daniel attempting to get the tough teenage girl to open up and talk to him.

"That would be a no." Daniel confirmed Jacks thoughts. "But it's only been half of a week, so we'll see how it goes" Daniel said with more confidence than he felt as they exited on the twenty-eighth floor to go to the briefing room.

The briefing moved along quickly and before the people in the meeting knew it, it had been 3 hours. As the briefing adjourned, Daniel stood up with everyone else in an attempt to get out of the room first, but was stopped by a considerably short airman.

"Doctor Jackson sir? You have a message," the young man said handing Daniel a slip of paper.

"Got another kid and wife we don't know about Daniel?" Jack teased as he came to stand before his friend. Daniel read the note and closed his eyes in frustration.

"Nope, says here I have to go pick Rachel up from school, she's been suspended," Daniel sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Already? Three hours into her first day of school, wow I'm impressed," Jack said. He hadn't been the best-behaved child in school but even he hadn't succeeded in getting kicked out so fast. Daniel shot Jack a look telling him never to say that to his daughter or there would be hell to pay.

"Now what? I have weeks worth of work to do and now I have to leave" Daniel leaned against the table.

"You go get her, take her home and tell her what's what. Don't worry bout it, Hammond won't mind." Jack reassured.

"Thanks Jack, I owe you one"

"Yep and don't think I'll forget it either next time I need someone to go fishing with me" Jack called after Daniels retreating form. He swore he could hear the younger mans groans from inside the elevator.

-

Daniel wandered down the main hallway in the high school trying to find the principals office. He wasn't too happy about being called away from his work and he was trying to clam down so he didn't completely blow up. He rounded a corner and saw a very unhappy Rachel sitting in a chair outside the secretary's office.

"Suspended?" he demanded not looking impressed. Rachel simply shrugged her shoulders and turned her head looking down at the floor. It was then Daniel noticed a large bruise forming on her left cheek. A fight. She had gotten in a fight.

"Doctor Jackson?" a short round woman with square glasses asked from the doorway.

"Yes?" he answered.

"The principal can see you now"   
"Thank you" he said kindly with a smile. He turned back to the teen slouching in her seat before him, his smile wiped from his face. "Stay here" he said firmly.

"Try and make me" he heard muttered. Sighing in frustration he went into the office to find out what exactly happened.

Daniel sat before a large woman with graying hair pulled back into a tight bun. She was the stereotypical hard-ass principal. Even he was slightly afraid at just the sight of her. She sat there her hands clasped before her, a frigid frown plastered on her face.

"Now Doctor Jackson, I realize that Rachel is new to the school but her behavior today was inexcusable, I-"

"What exactly did my daughter do?" he dared to interrupt.

"What did she do! She got in a fight with another student and broke his nose"

"_His_ nose? She beat up a _guy_?" Daniel wanted to laugh, but kept a straight face for fear of what the woman would do to him.

"The gender of the victim does not matter _Mr_. Jackson," the principal said, purposely not addressing him formally as 'Doctor'. "The point is she has taken away that students right to be safe at school, and-"

"Did you even listen to her side of the story, I mean she has a bruise on her cheek - the guy hit her too" He interrupted again, quickly tiring of this woman. He wanted to know all details before he resorted to punishing Rachel, an action that he knew was going to result in her hating him, not something he wanted right away.

"There is no side for her to tell, she hit the boy and broke his nose, and he tried to defend himself, that's all there is to it, she is suspended for three days"

"Alright then, she'll be back in three days" Daniel said, abruptly standing up and leaving. He would have to hear what Rachel said before punishing her.

Opening the office door and walking through the secretary's office to get to the hall, Daniel was surprised to see Rachel still sitting in the seat she'd been in before. He figured she would have left. She glanced up at him; he winced at the sight of the bruise on her face. It was getting even darker and he doubted anyone had given her ice or anything to put on it.

"Let's go," he said neutrally, once again confusing Rachel. She thought he would have been fuming, after all her mother would have been. She silently got up and followed him to his car. She sat in the passenger seat as he got in behind the wheel. Instead of starting the car, he looked at her. Rachel simply stared straight ahead.

"So what happened?" Daniel asked, again not showing any emotion in his words, which was getting on the teenagers nerves.

"Nothing" she said.

"That's not what the principal said"

"Yeah, well the principal is full of shit"

"Why wont you tell me what happened?" Daniel sighed. Rachel remained silent, still not looking at him.

"What? Do you want to be punished, is that it?" he asked. How was he supposed to know what a teenage girl was thinking and why she was getting in fights? She didn't acknowledge his question in the slightest.

"Fine, no going out for a week. You are to stay in the apartment for your suspension and when it's up you will go straight to school and straight home right after. Understood?" he said in a disappointed voice. He really didn't want to do that but he had to show her who was in charge.

"You got it?" he asked again as he started the car.

"Yeah" she said quietly.

* * *

I won't be able to post more until next week cause I'm going home for the weekend and won't have the story with me… anyhoo,

Thanks to all who have reviewed the story so far!

Like it? Hate it? Please review and tell me : )

Oh and I have nothing against cheerleaders… sorry if anyone was offended by the 'perkiness' reference


	7. Part 7

* * *

The following day Jack entered the commissary to see Daniel sitting at a table by himself reading something. Grabbing a coffee and a couple of donuts, Jack went over and sat down across from his teammate.

"Hey, how'd it go at the principals office yesterday?" he asked with a smirk.

"The principal is really scary" Daniel said honestly, without looking up from his papers covered in alien writing. Jack chuckled; he had met the woman when he picked Cassie up from school one time. Scary was definitely a good word to describe her.

"So why'd the kid get suspended?"

"Got in a fight, broke some guys nose" Jack choked on the sip of coffee he had just taken.

"Guy? She beat up a guy?" Jack laughed.

"Apparently, she broke his nose, he hit her in self defense, and now she's suspended and he's the victim because his right to be safe has been taken away" Daniel rolled his eyes, finishing off his coffee.

"Is that was Rachel said or-"

"The principal said that. Rachel refused to tell me what happened"

"So what's the verdict Dad?" Jack said taking a huge bite of one donut, leaving not even half of it left.

"Grounded for a week?"

"Sounds fair"

"Yeah, but I have a feeling the fight wasn't her fault, but she wont tell me that, so I had no choice but to ground her" Daniel ran a hand over his hair tiredly. Jack felt sympathy for his friend. It wasn't easy being a parent to begin with, but having to start off being one with a teenager, he doubted he could do it himself.

-

Daniel came home that night to find the apartment empty. He checked all of the rooms only to find his daughter AWOL. He rested his elbows on the counter in the kitchen and sighed. He knew she hadn't been kidnapped or anything, but rather she had gone out while he was at work, just to spite him. Hearing the front door unlock, he stood up and walked over to where she was taking off her shoes.

"Where the hell have you been?" he said angrily but not loudly. She didn't answer. Didn't look at him, didn't even show any sign she'd heard him.

"I would like an answer" he said, his voice getting louder. She stopped in her tracks and turned to look at him.

"Out" she said, before turning back around and walking to her room, slamming her door in the process. He followed her, opening the door without knocking. She spun around from her position before her bookcase, throwing the book she was holding onto the bed.

"Where the hell do you get off just coming in here like that?!" she demanded. He was thrown off by the fury in her eyes. This was the most emotion she had shown yet, with the exception of when he woke her up from her nightmare that one time.

"Well when you go out, after I specifically told you not to, I can do what ever I damn well please" he said strongly. They both stood in the middle of her room with their arms crossed over their chests, blue eyes burning into one and other.

"Get out" Rachel said venomously, breaking the tense silence.

"No" Daniel said calmly. He knew this approach was not working at all. He uncrossed his arms and ran his hands over his face and sighed. Rachel remained in her position watching, seeing what he was going to do next. If she had been in one of her foster homes she would have already had black eyes and bruises to match all over.

"Rachel, what's goin on huh? What has got you so angry at everything that you have to make your own life miserable?" he asked sadly, leaning against the wall by the door. Caught off guard, she opened her mouth to protest, but couldn't say anything and shut it again, doing a good impression of a goldfish. She just did not understand him at all.

"Are you angry at your mom for dumping you here with me?" he tried. Getting no response he continued,

"Or maybe you're angry because the families you lived with weren't so nice to you? Beat you up for no good reason? Did things that no body should ever do to anyone let alone a child?? Hmmm? Cause I want to help you, but I cant if you wont let me." He said sincerely.

"Get out" she said, her voice cracking. Daniel could see tears welling up in her eyes. "Please" she said, even more quietly. He knew he could leave and leave it at that. But he decided he wasn't going to let that happen. Although he did have to admit it was a bit alarming to see a girl who acted so tough all the time about to breakdown.

"No, not until you let me help you" he said pushing off the wall so he was standing. She glared at him through tear filled eyes, none rolling down her cheeks quite yet, and she walked toward the door. If he wasn't leaving, she would. But Daniel was too quick for her and she walked right into him as he moved into her path. He put his arms around her, holding her in a tight embrace. She struggled to get away, but he wasn't letting her go. She tried to push him and shake him off, but he was too much stronger than her, and her efforts were wasted. He felt her take a deep breath and as she stopped struggling. It was almost like she deflated. He felt her body shaking, as she began to weep into his shirt. Resting his chin on her head he loosened his grip a tiny bit andawkwardly rubbed her back. She began to cry even more and he felt her grab fistfuls of the sides of his shirt. He had no idea what to say now. He hadn't expected her to start sobbing.   
What he had expected when he hugged her was for her to slug him in the face. She began to pull away still crying, breaking his chain of thought. Rachel took a step back looking very embarrassed as she took a few breaths trying clam down, and wiped the tears from her cheeks, careful no too touch her bruise. She made a try for the door again, but this time he gently grabbed her hand as she reached the door. She didn't struggle to get away but kept her face turned down towards the floor as she ineffectively tried to stop her tears from spilling down her face.

"If you ever want to talk…" he said, leaving the offer hanging, knowing she wouldn't take him up on it now. She didn't answer or look up, and he knew she was still crying as her shoulders still shook slightly. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and let it go. He kissed the top of her head softly and left her room without another word shutting the door after him gently. That's when she lost it. Rachel sank to her knees on the floor and bawled. He was so nice. Why couldn't he be an ass like every other person in her life? Why did he have to care? She leaned against the wall near the door as she tried to control her breathing, and stop crying. He was making it very hard for her to hate him.

"Why does he care? …I'm not worth it_"_, she said quietly to the empty room not knowing that Daniel was on the other side of the door, having heard her.

He walked down the hallway and whispered sadly, "Yes you are."

* * *

Okay folks, I know this was a weird chapter… but hey I cant control my muse… the next chapter will have action in it! YAY!

Please review, it makes me happy :)


	8. Part 8

* * *

Rachel awoke the next morning to the smell of bacon, and the sound of dishes clinking together in the kitchen. She got out of bed and got dressed, not bothering to do her hair just yet. But she did pull on her favourite old sneakers, since they were more comfortable than the cold floors of the apartment. 

She entered the kitchen to find Daniel hard at work making bacon, eggs, sausage and toast. Raising her eyebrows she sat down on one of the stools at the counter and cleared her throat alerting him to her presence.

"Since when was Martha Stewart my dad?" she said, as he spun around surprised, noticing that she had actually acknowledged him as her father.

"Who's Martha Stewart?" he asked, really not knowing. Rachel looked at him like he was insane. How could he not know who the woman was? Her face was only plastered all over TV, magazines; hell she even had her own brand of paint!

"Don't you watch TV?" she asked Daniel.

"No not really. Before, the only time I was ever here was to sleep, and even that was kind of rare, seeing how I have a room at the base too." He replied, placing a plate full of food in front of her. Picking at it with her fork she stared at the scrambled eggs deep in thought.

"What's on your mind?" Daniel asked sitting down at the counter across form her.

"What exactly does an archaeologist do at an air force base – in Colorado?"

"That's-"

"Classified?" she finished for him.

"Yeah" Rachel nodded, not pushing it any further knowing he wouldn't tell her anything. They ate in silence for a few minutes, she hoping he wouldn't bring up the previous night and him wondering if he should.

"So what are you going to do today?" Daniel asked, knowing there wasn't much since he prohibited her from going anywhere and school was not an option for another two days. She shrugged in response.

"Read, I guess"

"Well there are a lot of books in my office and out in the living room… you can read any of those if you want," he offered, and she nodded, not looking at him.

"Okay, well I've got to get to work, please don't go out again" he said, doubting she would anyway. "Bye" he called as the door shut and was locked.

"Bye" she answered to the empty kitchen. Deciding to take him up on his offer of reading his books, Rachel left her food and wandered into his office, idly looking at the artifacts on the shelves and walls. She walked up to a huge oak bookcase and scanned the titles of the books. Many of them were in languages she couldn't identify at all, so her gaze slid right over them. After pulling out various books for a few minutes she decided on a book about Greek gods and went to sit in a worn leather chair by the office door.

She was only a few pages into the book when she heard what sounded almost like a key in the front doors lock. Frowning she closed the book, placed it on the chair and stood in the office doorway. She heard the front door open and two voices, neither she recognized, began conversing in hushed voices. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but she knew they definitely were not supposed to be there.

Quietly slipping from the office and into Daniels bedroom across the hall, she gently shut the door making no sound at all. Pushing a chair up under the metal handle, she grabbed for the phone. Hitting the 'ON' button on the cordless, she put the phone to her ear to hear the dial tone. Instead of the dull mechanical beep she'd expected, she heard one of the voices say,

"She's picked up". Frantically she turned off the phone wishing she had a cell phone. Turning on the spot she tried to figure out what to do. Seeing the doors to the balcony just off of the room, she stealthily opened them and went onto the miniature patio, closing the doors behind her. Off to the right there was a small gate that led to a metal fire escape. Rachel remembered Daniel talking about it being put in the year before. She climbed over the gate, knowing if she opened it, it would probably squeak, and began the short descent of three stories.

She made it to the ground and hid around the corner of the building before she heard the doors to the balcony being thrown open, banging against the bedroom walls. Breathing heavily, not from the trip down, but from fear and the adrenalin coursing through her, she waited until she heard the two voices, cursing very colorfully, get farther away. She carefully ran down the street and did so for six blocks until she was sure she was safe for the time being. She ducked into a quiet alley and kept her back against the brick wall of the small diner there.

As she tried to slow down her breathing, a million thoughts ran through Rachel's head as to why people were in Daniels apartment and how they knew about her seeing how she'd only been living there for a few days. Deciding to try and phone Daniel, since maybe he'd know what was going on, she moved to go into the diner where there hopefully was a payphone, but then stopped and leaned against the wall again, remembering she had no money to make a call with. She knew the Air Force likely didn't answer collect calls, so she prayed that if she went in there, that someone would have left a tip on a table and that she could get to it before a waitress did.

Taking a deep breath, Rachel looked cautiously around the corner and seeing very few people in the street, casually walked into the small establishment and as she passed an empty table, swiftly grabbed the tip money left behind, leaving the few patrons and employees none the wiser.

Spying a payphone at the very end of the diner, she made her way there and dialed the number that Daniel had asked she memorize incase of emergencies. _This is a big ass emergency_ she thought grimly. She waited as the phone rang four times before a bored sounding man said,

"Cheyenne Mountain Complex." Breathing deeply she tried to make herself not seem like a scared kid.

"Yeah hi, I would like to speak to Doctor Daniel Jackson please, tell him it's an emergency" she said fairly quickly, while surreptitiously glancing around the diner and out the large windows a few yards away.

"I'm sorry but civilians can't be put through to employees" the voice began tiredly as if having taken calls like that many times already.

"I told you, this is an emergency, I am his daughter and I need to talk to him now" she said forcefully into the receiver. Hearing a sigh on the other end, her hopes disintegrated at the thought that this guy might just hang up on her, and she didn't know if she had enough money to call again.

"One moment please" he said dutifully, and Rachel could hear the line being put on hold. She nervously tapped he fingers on the large phone book below the phone, and waited to be put through. She was glad the phone was in a small alcove in the wall, so that she could stand in it and no one could see her, unless they came right up to it.

"Hey kid you still there?" the voice made her jump slightly as it came back so suddenly.

"Yeah"

"Doctor Jackson is in a meeting at the moment, I can take a message for him, if you like" he said. Rachel's stomach dropped. No, she had to talk to him right away, she didn't know what else to do.

"No I have to talk to him now!" She spoke harshly, "It is an EMERGENCY, do you understand??" she demanded, "I need him now" she said this time her voice dropping, trembling ever so slightly, not going unnoticed by the airman on the other end.

"Ok, I will send someone to give him the message now, so stay on the line" he said, not exactly knowing if the kid was for real or if it was a prank call.

Running a hand nervously through her hair, Rachel held the phone receiver so tight her knuckles turned a ghostly white. As she waited, an automated recording in the phone told her to put more money in. Depositing the last of the change she had stolen, she hoped the line wouldn't be cut off.

SG1 sat around the briefing room table, having just gotten off the speakerphone with the pentagon about their next mission off world.

"Well that went well," Jack grimaced, "Don't ya think?" he asked, clearly unhappy like the rest of them that the pentagon was demanding more weapons be brought back through the gate immediately or else the SGC may in fact cease to exist. Hammond shook his head, and sighed. The job definitely had its perks; this however was not one of them.

All five heads turned as a young airman knocked on the open doorway and stood nervously in the threshold.

"What is it Airman?" Hammond asked authoritatively.

"There is a uh, phone call for Doctor Jackson, from uh, his uh, daughter Sir, she says it's an emergency." The young man fumbled through the message. Daniel sat up in his seat,

"Is she still on the line?"

"Yes sir"

"You may use the speaker phone here if you wish Doctor, or the phone in my office" Hammond said, knowing it must be important if the girl had phoned the base.

"Um okay thanks" He reached to turn on the speakerphone in the middle of the table, when Jack asked

"Do you want us to go?" he asked gesturing to the door.

"No that's okay", pressing a button, all he could hear was background noises on the other end of the line.

"Rachel?" he asked uncertainly.

"Daniel?"

"Why are you calling?" he questioned, "You said it was an emergency?" he said sounding a little worried. "Where are you?" he continued before she could answer his other queries.

"Um, a diner a few blocks from the apartment"

"Why?" he asked glancing at Jack across from him in confusion, Jack just shrugged in response.

"BecausetwoguysbrokeintotheapartmentandnowIamhidingfromthem" she said quickly in one breath, trying to make the call short and sweet.

"What?" Daniel and Jack both asked, everyone leaning closer to the phone.

"Two guys broke into the apartment and now I am hiding from them," she said more slowly so they could all hear. Rachel guessed there were multiple people listening. Daniel looked horrified.

"Why didn't you call the police?"

"Because the two guys, I think there were two, were on the phone already, waiting for me to pick up… I went down the fire escape and hid," she said. Daniel could hear the fear in her voice.

"Okay stay there, I'll come and get you" Daniel said having a pretty good idea of where she was.

"Okay, just hurr-" Rachel stopped mid-sentence and SG1 looked at each other.

"Rachel?" Daniel said, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Rach?" he said again receiving no answer. Jumping up he left the briefing room to go find his daughter. Jack looked at Hammond who nodded, looking quite alarmed himself, and the rest of SG1 ran to catch up with Daniel.   
They were coming too.

* * *

Thank you to all who have reviewed so far, you don't know how happy it makes me to see a review alert in my email inbox! It's quite sad really.   
More will be up soon :-) 


	9. Part 9

"Daniel!" Jack called from down the corridor, as he, Sam and Teal'c ran to catch up to the worried archaeologist.

"What?" Daniel asked, concern etched into his face.

"We're coming' with you" Jack stated.

"Thanks" Daniel said offering a small smile, as they all entered the elevator.

Taking charge of the situation, Jack stopped the group as they reached Daniels car.

"I'm assuming you know where Rachel was Daniel, so you and Carter go look there, Teal'c and I will go check your place out, ok?" everyone nodded in agreement, the two pairs turned to their respective vehicles. "Oh and keep your cell phones on!" Jack called across the lot. Sam and Daniel drove off first, in his car, and Teal'c and Jack followed closely behind in Jacks truck.

-

"Okay stay there, I'll come and get you" Rachel heard her father say as she kept an eye on who was coming in and out of the diner. She poked her head out of the phone area and eyed two men, dressed in all black, who had just come in the door. One of them, the shorter of the two, about Daniels height, saw her and nudged his partner. Rachel's eyes widened as they began to move towards her. Dropping the phone in mid-sentence she looked for an exit. Her eyes fell upon one behind her to the right. She bolted out it and into the street. She ran as fast as she could through the now busy streets, not stopping even when a cramp in her side threatened to take her down.

The scared teen ran for what seemed like fifteen minutes and eventually stopped, again in a small alley dividing two buildings, not able to run any further.

Not once had she looked back to see if the men had been following her, not once did she see the black SUV that had tracked her through the streets. She was just catching her breath when the black vehicle, pulled up onto the thin sidewalk, effectively blocking the alley's entrance. A man got out of the passenger side and came toward her. Rachel's jaw dropped, they had followed her!   
Backing away quickly, she turned and began running down the alley as fast as she could. She jumped over various pieces of garbage, foolishly looking back at one point not seeing a fallen trashcan. Her foot hooked under it and she went flying over it, landing on her hands and shoulder. Pain ripped through the palms of her hands and shoulder as the pavement made quick work of scraping through her shirt. Both of the men, who had been in the diner, approached her, guns ready in their hands. She tried to back away along the ground ignoring the painful protest of her bleeding hands, but one man walked over to her and grabbed her arm yanking on it to make her stand.

"You're coming with us," he said. She shot him a weird look and couldn't resist.

"That was original," she snorted confidently, inwardly she was cowering with fear.

"Shut up" he said, letting go of her arm and grabbing a fistful of her hair roughly. He pushed her in the direction of their SUV still holding her hair, and she complied, scratching futilely at his gloved hands to make him let go. They reached the car and one man walked around to the drivers seat while the other pushed Rachel into the back seat and then sat himself down beside her in the back, letting go of her hair but not the gun.

"Scream and you die, try to get out – you die, try anything at all – you die" the shorter man said in a low guttural growl. His black hair and dark eyes menacing enough that Rachel didn't want to try and prove him wrong. The taller man looked in the review mirror at her as he drove off down the street. His gray eyes and dark hair made him look equally as frightening.

-

Daniel and Sam pulled up in front of the diner he was sure Rachel had called from. Walking in, they glanced around and went over to where the payphone was. The phone was still dangling near the floor, from when Rachel had dropped it. Walking over to the counter, Daniel got the attention of one of the waitresses.

"What can I do ya for folks?" the older woman asked kindly.

"Did a girl come in here, about forty minutes ago? She has fairly long blond hair, blue eyes; she's about 5'5", um wearing gray pants and a black shirt, and black shoes." Sam raised her eyebrows slightly having not figured Daniel to be so observant when it came to clothes.

"Why, yes I did. Silly girl outside with no jacket, gonna catch a cold I reckon." They lady shook her head.

"Do you know where she went? Or when she left here?"

"Well, she was on the phone for a good ten minutes, didn't talk much I don't think, but then a couple a men, scary lookin' I might add, came in and she left right away. Almost called the cops, thought they's was going to take her, but they just left when she did, so I didn't think nothin' more of it. Why? You her parents or something?" The old woman's gaze went back and forth between Sam and Daniel. Sam smiled shaking her head.

"He's her father, I'm just a friend"

"Mmm hmm" the lady said eyeing them closely.

"Thank you" Daniel said frustrated that now he had no idea where his daughter was. They left the restaurant and got back in Daniels car, thinking of where to go next. Sam pulled out her phone and dialed Jack's cell.

"O'Neill" he said when he picked up.

"Hi sir, any luck?" she asked hopefully.

"Nope, the lock was sorta scratched – musta been picked, but other than that the place is fine and there's no other evidence of a break in. Did you find her?" he questioned as he and Teal'c made their way back to him truck.

"No, apparently two 'scary looking' men came into the diner and Rachel took off when she saw them. That's all we've got." Sam sighed, looking at Daniel who was staring out of the window lost in thought. He jumped slightly when his own cell phone began ringing in his pocket. Picking it up, he answered it, confused by no sound on the other end.

Sam stopped talking, as did Jack; both had heard his phone ring.

"Hello?" Daniel asked for the third time. He was about to hang up when a gruff voice spoke up.

"Doctor Jackson, I have your daughter. Go back to your apartment. I'll be in touch" and the line went dead. Daniel at that point had gone extremely pale. He dropped his phone into his lap and started the car.

"Daniel? Who was it?" Sam asked worried by her friend's behavior. Jack also voiced his desire to know who had phoned, very loudly into Sam's ear.

"I don't know, but he said he has Rachel and to go to my apartment and wait for him to call back" Daniel didn't bother to look for oncoming traffic and pulled out into the street, intent on getting home very fast.

"Carter? … CARTER??" Jack called through the small object she held in her hand.

"Uh, Sir, stay there, we'll be there in a few minutes" and she hung up in the middle of Jack's demand for more information.

"Was that all the person said Daniel?" Sam inquired needing more to go on.

"Yeah… God how could I have let this happen?" he said desperately as he stopped at a red light. No sense in driving right through and getting a ticket when he had to find his daughter.

"Daniel you had no way of knowing this would happen. Can you think of any reason why someone would kidnap Rachel?" Daniel shook his head and they drove in silence for the next couple minutes.

He pulled up in front of his building. Locking the car, they both ran up the three flights of stairs to his apartment and entered to see Jack pacing. Teal'c was standing stoically off to the side of the living room.

"Carter, you hung up on me!" Jack glared at his 2IC.

"Sorry Sir" she shrugged.

"So what's the situation?" Jack said getting down to business.

"Someone phoned me saying he has Rachel and that he would contact me here… but he didn't say when" Daniel replied, sounding extremely stressed.

"Did you get a phone number from the caller?" Jack asked.

"Nope, there wasn't anything on the caller ID" Daniel replied, taking deep breaths to try and control his panicking. Jack opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the sound of the home phone's shrill ring. Daniel ran for it, and didn't argue when Jack put his ear up close to his to hear.

"Hello?" Daniel asked uncertainly. There were a few moments of silence before the deep voice spoke up.

"I have a small proposition for you Doctor Jackson…"


	10. Part 10

* * *

"Where is she?" Daniel demanded. Jack elbowed him in the ribs, trying to make sure his friend didn't piss off the kidnapper.

"She is safe… for now" was the sinister reply.

"I want to talk to her"

"Doctor Jackson you are in no place to be making demands" Daniel bit back the explicit comment that almost escaped his lips.

"What do you want?"

"What I want," laughed the voice, "is some information. Information that you have, that I doubt even your dear friends, there with you, know you know."

"And what would that be?" Jack spoke up, figuring the man knew at least one or more of the rest of SG1 was listening in.

"The information the Harcesis child gave you on a weapon to fight the Goa'uld with" the voice snarled. Daniel looked at the floor, trying to ignore the looks he was getting from his friends. He knew that what the child had shown him, about the kind of power trip anyone who got their hands on that information could go on, would come back to bite him in the ass one day. He had just hoped that day would be far, far away.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Daniel lied, hoping it was believable.

"Then your daughter will die"

"But I told you I have no idea what you are talking about!" Daniel repeated.

"And as I told you Doctor, she will die."

"He'll tell you" Jack said having gotten the other cordless phone, and tuned into the last part of the conversation.

"Jack!" Daniel said with wide eyes.

"Alright" the man on the phone stated, "Doctor Jackson, you and your team will go to the Star Motel, on Highway 45, and check into room nine. There you will receive further instructions. Be there by six tonight. Alone." The man hung up leaving a very pale Daniel, who had begun to pace, and a confused SG1 watching him curiously.

"Daniel,"

"What Jack?" was the strained response.

"Did you, oh I don't know - happen to leave _anything_ out of your report after the Harcesis kid left?"

"I may have. Jack why did you say I would tell him what he wanted to know?" Daniel stopped pacing and crossed his arms over his chest looking at Jack. "You know that he wont give Rachel back that easily"

"To buy time Daniel" Sam supplied.

"Oh"

"But why would he want you guys to come too?" Daniel was definitely not good at this type of situation.

"Because he knows we would come anyways. This way he knows where we are all together at once and not going to sneak up on him." Jack said leaning against the wall, his mind going a mile a minute deciding how to find Daniels daughter before it was too late. He had dealt with hostage situations before, and the more time that passed by, the worse chance there was for getting the hostage out alive.

"So what do we do Sir?" Sam asked. Teal'c stood beside her silent as ever, thinking of how to snap the person, who dared take his friends daughter, in two.

Rachel sat silently in the backseat of the vehicle as it bounced over large potholes in the road. They man beside her had blindfolded her as soon as they got out of the downtown area of the town. She had sat silently through the phone call to her father the driver made, even though she wanted to scream for help. The cold barrel of the handgun at her temple was more than enough incentive to keep quiet.

"So, uh, where are we going guys?" she asked lightly trying to break the unbearable silence in the car.

"Shut up"

Rachel did just that, not wanting to test her boundaries when she was blindfolded and being held at gunpoint.

"Daniel, don't you think you should call Rachel's mom and let her know what's happening?" Sam asked as the voice of reason, as they drove to the location Rachel's kidnapper had told them.

"No, Liz doesn't need any more stress at the moment she has to focus on keeping well" Daniel replied from the passenger seat. He kept glancing at Jack and Teal'c in his truck ahead of them, mentally willing the older man to drive faster, even though they were well over the speed limit as it was. Sam could see the logic in not telling Rachel's mother, but she still felt that they should have told someone where they were going.

"Here we are." Jack stated putting his truck into park, and turning it off. Jack walked into the lobby of the small motel and asked to be checked into room nine, while Daniel and Sam pulled up and went to stand with Teal'c outside. After getting the key, he walked to the room and unlocked the door. Jack was sure to sweep the room with his eyes before letting his team enter. Who knows what was in store for them. He had learned long ago to never underestimate the enemy. That was what got you killed.  
Reasonably satisfied that there was no one in the room, he walked in with the rest of SG1 following closely behind.

"Look around, see if anything was left for us" Jack ordered as he began looking under the bed and feeling along the underside of nightstands.

"I got something," Daniel said. Everyone turned to see him opening a white envelope. He pulled out a piece of paper that simply said 'VCR' on it, in a scratchy handwriting. He turned to the TV and saw a videocassette sticking out of the VCR.

"Let's see what it is," Jack stated sitting on the end of the bed. Daniel turned on the television and then pushed the tape into the machine, grabbing the remote, he pressed play and stepped back so everyone could watch. The image that appeared made Daniel's legs go weak and he sat down beside Jack. The room the camera was focusing on was fairly dark, yet still clear enough to see a female form tied to a chair in the middle of the room. Blindfolded and gagged Rachel sat struggling against her bonds, turning her head frantically as if listening to someone speaking. There was no sound, just picture. A man walked over to her with his back to the cameras view. SG1 could see he was talking to her, and as Rachel shook her head objecting to something, he swung his arm back and backhanded her across the face.

Daniel put his head in his hands not wanting to watch anymore. He was ready to hunt down and kill whoever was doing this. Jack turned off the TV and walked to the window, pushing the curtains back a bit to see outside. He thought for a few moments about their options, but couldn't see any good ones.

The shrill ring of the telephone startled them all. Jack walked over to the phone and picked it up reluctantly. He wasn't certain he wanted to know who it was.

"Ah, Colonel O'Neill, I see you've all arrived safely, and watched the lovely tape I made for you I presume," the voice laughed maniacally.

"We're here, now what?" Jack cut right to the chase.

"Now you get Dr. Jackson to write down everything he remembers from when the Harcesis child was at the SGC, I will call back tomorrow at eight AM. Be ready." Jack slammed down the receiver in frustration.

"Daniel?" Daniel didn't answer, just looked up at Jack tiredly. "What exactly did the Harcesis kid tell you?" Daniel hesitated before answering.

"Well he didn't tell me things… he sorta uh, showed me" Daniel answered frowning a bit not sure how to explain.

"When you were unconscious?" Sam surmised, putting two and two together. Daniel nodded, glad that maybe someone would understand.

"And what did he _show _you?" Jack questioned patiently.

"Oh the usual, you know, weapons to use against the Goa'uld, stuff like that" Jack made a face at Daniel's sarcasm. _I'm rubbing off on him too much, _he thought.

"Weapons?" Sam's eyes widened.

"Yeah, he was trying to show me that with great knowledge comes great responsibility" Daniel shrugged.

"Why didn't you tell us? We could protect earth!" Sam exclaimed, thinking of the upper hand they could potentially have on the Goa'uld.

"No, I saw a glimpse at what would happen if I told people about this technology, no good would come of it" Daniel grimaced, remember the all too real dream he had experienced.

"I just don't know how anyone could have found out about this though, I didn't tell anyone. And the only other person who knows is Shifu" Daniel admitted.

"Shifu?" Jack asked.

"Harcesis."

"Right."

"Could it be a Goa'uld behind this? One that somehow knows what happened to Daniel?" Sam suggested as she took apart the telephone to see if it was bugged.

"Did not the Goa'uld Osiris possess the technology to see into Daniel Jackson's subconscious?" Teal'c offered.

"Yeah but Osiris is gone now" Daniel pointed out.

"But the snake was working for Anubis, so what's to say he's not behind it?" Daniel shook his head at Jack's thought.

"This seems so much more like the NID though,"

"Maybe they're working for the snake or something" Jack shrugged watching Carter with fascination as she reassembled the telephone very quickly.

"You may be on to something Sir," she said holding up a small mechanism that had been in the phone. It didn't appear to be of earth origin.

"I think this is Gould technology Sir," she stated.

"It is a Goa'uld listening device Major Carter" Teal'c said having been around a few in his days as First Prime to Apophis. "It is similar to the telephone insects of this planet"

"Telephone _bugs_," Sam corrected.

"Carter put it away so you can play with it later. Daniel I want you to tell us everything you know" Jack said sternly leaving no room to argue. "We'll be getting a phone call at 0800 tomorrow and need to be ready." Jack told them as they all sat down and looked at Daniel expectantly. Daniel sighed. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

Sorry for the delay… I've been really busy with end of the semester assignments and stuff that I haven't had time to write… more will be up super soon!

Please review.


	11. Part 11

Sitting blindfolded in a hard metal chair, in a cold room was not turning out to be much fun as Rachel struggled against her restraints for the hundredth time. The last person she'd had contact with was the man who had hit her a few hours before. He had wanted to know if she knew about something called a Stargate and a person her father supposedly knew called Harcesis. Utterly confused, cold and hungry she was tirelessly trying to loosen her bonds and gag. She pushed against the gag with her tongue and with some amount of joy felt the rough material fall away from her mouth.

"Sweet" she muttered. Her movements stopped the second she heard the squeaking of the door from one side of the room.

"Well, well, well, looks like you've been busy" the man said noticing the gag hanging around her neck.

"Well there's nothing else to do, your hospitality sucks" she spat out, not anticipating the hard punch to her already bruised cheek. "That's not very nice you know" she couldn't resist saying. This time a fist to her stomach made herpush hard against the ropes around her chest as she heaved trying to catch her breath.

"You will speak only when spoken to," the man demanded. "Or I won't be able to stop myself from making you listen" he finished more gently, his hot breath hitting her cheek he was so close. Rachel inwardly cringed when she felt a hand run softly down the length of her arm. She heard the person turn and walk from the room the heavy door shutting and locking leaving her alone again. Tears formed in her eyes and fell, but were quickly soaked up by the blindfold. She'd never admit it but she wanted her dad.

-

"Sir, we should call the SGC for backup," Sam stated after Daniel had told his teammates everything he knew. It was getting into the early hours of the morning and they were all tired but a plan of action was more important than sleep at the moment.

"But won't they hurt Rachel if we involve more people?" Daniel asked worriedly.

"We need more people on thisif you want to find her Daniel" Jack informed him. Daniel nodded rubbing his face. He would have never expected having to deal with kidnapping. Boys, sex, drugs, PMS -he was pretty sure he could handle with Rachel, but he felt incredibly helpless while nameless, faceless people controlled her fate.  
Jack pulled out his cell phone and dialed the base.

-

Awakening to a stinging slap Rachel lifted her head aimlessly biting back a string of curses.

"Now, was that really necessary?" she demanded only to get kicked in the leg by what felt like a steel-toed boot. She grunted in pain and turned her head to where she thought her captor or captors were.

"Do you get off on causing pain or something?" she inquired to her left. She could hear the air wisp around the fist that connected violently with her ribs.

"Asshole" she muttered.

"Shut up child and we won't hurt you"

"Mmm hmm, suuuure" she drawled out disbelievingly. This time nothing hit her but she heard an electrical buzz and felt the business end ofwhat seemed like acattle prod connect with her shoulder. She could feel her shirt and then her skin burn on contact as she jolted against her bonds. Breathing deeply as the weapon disappeared from her arm, she bit her bottom lip in an attempt not to cry out in pain.

"Now you will listen," the voice she had since grown to dread said. "I will be calling your father in a moment and you will say hello to him so he knows you are alive. Say anything else and we will kill him AND you, understood?" Rachel nodded numbly. She wasn't sure if she believed the man or not. He technically needed her to get her father there and he obviously wanted some information that only her dad had. Rachel inwardly smirked. They wouldn't kill anyone. She was no doubt going to be worse for the ware in the end but she had had worse before, so she could live with it. She heard the beeping of buttons on a phone and anticipated getting to talk on it.

"Hello Doctor Jackson, I trust you and your companions slept well?" The man inquired lightly. Rachel could hear a muffled voice on the other end.

"Now, now Doctor, patience is a virtue. Rachel is not harmed… much. In fact I will let her to speak to you." Rachel felt the phone be pressed to her ear. She wanted to scream for someone to come get her but she remained silent.

"Speak" someone nudged her from behind. She kept her mouth shut.

-

"Rachel?" Daniel asked hoping it wasn't a trick to make him think she was all right. He could faintly hear the kidnapper growing frustrated in his orders for her to talk. Daniel looked at Jack confusedly. Jack sat there listening to the conversation on speakerphone, a ghost of a grin lingering on his lips. He had to admit. The kid was good at pissing people off. Jack applauded her at getting under the kidnappers skin, but hoped she'd say something before all patience ran out. A loud slap sounded through the phone.  
_"Son of a bitch! That hurt! ...Daniel? You wanna find me sometime this century?_" she asked tightly.

"Rach-"

"Doctor Jackson, as you heard your daughter is alive and well. For how long is up to you"

"_God where do you guys come up with these lines_?" Upon hearing Rachel Jack snorted in amusement. The kid definitely had potential.

"Now I trust you have written down much of what the Harcesis told you, I will be needing that information shortly."

-

"What on earth is a Harcesis?" Rachel asked hearing only one side of the conversation.

"Shut up" a man said behind her, pushing her roughly.

"Hey! I got kidnapped for this I wanna know what it's about!" she demanded in a moment of brave stupidity. Something hardslammed intothe back of her head and Rachel quickly beganlosing her grasp on consciousness. Everything faded to black andthe last thing she heard was her captor's threat to Daniel.

"Be at warehouse forty-two in the 'Mountain Side Storage' facility by nine tonight or I _will_ kill your daughter."

-

"This just keeps getting better and better" Jack muttered.

"So what now?" Daniel sighed. There was no way they could give the guy any information but how did they get Rachel back without it.

"I have an idea, it's a long shot but it could work" Jack said thoughtfully. He pulled out his cell and stepped outside to make another call to the SGC.

"General? I have an idea on how to get Daniels kid back…"

This chapter was sorta short, but the next one is going to be super long…

* * *

Please review. Make this tired, stressed out undergrad rrrrrrrrreally happy by pressing that lovely purpley-blue button below. 


	12. Part 12

"Hey! Helloooooooo, mean kidnapper guys!" Rachel called. It had been over a day since her kidnappers yanked her off the street and not once had she been given food or a bathroom break. She felt a gust of air blow past her as the door whooshed open and footsteps sounded carrying two people to her.

"What?" the low voice demanded.

"I have to use the ladies room," she said sweetly turning her head to where she thought the man was.

"No"

"Oh come on, I've been here for like a day… a person can't hold it forever you know" she whined.

"Fine. Take her. Give her something to clean those cuts with too." The man ordered leaving the room. Leigh rolled her eyes. The ropes around her were untied and her hands were brought around in front of her and retied. She groaned in pain as her shoulders protested moving from the position they'd been in for hours. The bruises and scrapes on them didn't help any. She was pulled from the seat to her feet, but promptly fell to her knees, her legs numb like her arms from being stationary for so long.

"Ow" she grumbled. A hand pulled her to her feet once more, holding on tight as she regained the feeling in her legs. Soon they began moving down a hallway and she was pushed in a room that had what felt like a tiled floor. _The bathroom_ she surmised.

"There are bandages on the counter. You have twenty minutes" She recognized the voice as belonging to the man who'd held a gun on her on the ride to where she was now. The door shut and she heard it lock from the outside. Pulling off the blindfold she winced at the harshness of the bright light. Looking around she saw it was a small bathroom, with just a toilet, sink and counter along one wall.

"First things first" she muttered doing her business. After, she opened the small first aid kit on the counter and saw it contained antiseptic, a pair of tweezers, Band-Aids and a roll of white bandages and tape. As she cleaned her hands and shoulder she took the opportunity to look carefully around the room. She could see a fairly large vent in the wall along the floor and a small window high up over the sink. Bandaging the cut on her shoulder, by wrapping it under her arm and over her shoulder, and putting a Band-Aid on her hand over the largest cut, she walked over to the sink, looking up at the window. They wouldn't be stupid enough to leave it unlocked would they? She stepped in the sink and pulled herself up so she could see. The window was frosted but she could clearly see blades of grass pressed up against the glass. Pushing on it she sighed. It wouldn't budge. Rachel assumed it was locked somehow.

She glared at it for a moment before taking a closer look. It wasn't locked - it had just been painted shut! She quietly jumped down from the sink realizing she probably had ten minutes or so left. She grabbed the tweezers from the first aid kit and broke them so she only had one half. She got back up and carefully pushed the paint in where window met windowsill. She didn't want them to be able to notice it right way. Finally she was able to push the window open. It would be a tight fit but she was certain she could make it.

"But they'll know I got out that way" she frowned. Running a hand through her hair she stifled a groan as her hand rubbed over a painful spot that was sticky. Bringing her hand down she saw blood on her fingers, guessing it was from when they knocked her out. Rubbing the blood off her fingers onto her pants she knelt down to the vent. She undid the screws with the tweezers and shifted the grate over, looking inside. It was very dusty inside the vent and she knew if she wanted them to believe she went down it, she'd have to at least crawl down it a little bit to leave hand and knee prints.

After crawling just far enough that it looked convincing she emerged from the vent backwards and purposely replaced the grate over the opening haphazardly. She was careful not to leave any clumps of dust anywhere as she climbed back up to the window and started to pull her self through. It was a little higher then her own height, so she was forced to pull her self up. Ribs, both shoulders and her hands protested the awkward movement but she knew that in any minute her time would be up and she was definitely not going to stick around to get beat up some more. Finally through the window she hung from the window's ledge, pushing it shut tightly, before dropping the ground.  
Rachel remained crouched below the window as her eyes roamed the area. The building she'd been in seemed like an office building compared to the storage buildings to the left.

To the right were trees. Lots of them. Ignoring the pain in her side, Rachel bolted for the forest. She reached the tree line and ducked behind a thorny bush. Gazing around cautiously, she watched for any sign that she'd been seen. Seeing none, she turned and continued running through the trees, not caring when the occasional branch would slap against her.

After twenty minutes she finally came to a stop, breathing heavily. She leaned on a tree and sunk down to sit for a moment. Closing her eyes she wondered how long it would be until she was caught. Her kidnappers would have noticed she was missing. Hopefully they'd taken the bait with the vent though, and were searching the air ducts not the forest. Getting up, not feeling comfortable still so close to the storage facility, she began moving once more, this time at a jog. No sense in completely wearing herself out.  
Rachel walked for hours going downhill. It had gotten dark and now shadows played among the trees and the sounds of small - _hopefully_ small - animals could be heard. Her best guess was that she'd been near the top of the mountain, and was making her way down. Eventually she'd have to hit a road. Roads wound around mountains they didn't go straight up. Yes. She was certain a road would appear soon.

-

"Thor? Thor was your great idea?" Daniel raised his eyebrows. "The alien that is never around and very rarely answers our calls?"

Jack's idea had been to call Thor and get him to beam Rachel from wherever she was to the SGC. They'd deal with her finding out about aliens later. Jack had just gotten off the phone with General Hammond who'd said he'd try to contact the Asguard, but thought it was doubtful. Daniel shared his sentiments apparently as he tapped incessantly on the door of Jacks truck. They were on their way to meet Rachel's kidnappers, and only hoped that Thor would come through for them yet again.

"Hey it was better than nothing." Jack shrugged. It hadn't been his best idea but a battalion of guns wouldn't be their answer either. Not when the captors were so big on the 'killing' Rachel thing.

Sam and Teal'c drove behind Jack's truck in Daniels car, considerably farther back. That way if there were any traps on the road left for them, at least half of the team would be able to continue and get Rachel back.

-

Rachel began running faster as she saw a road up ahead. She stumbled over a large rock and cursed as her already scraped hands grazed the bark of a fallen tree. She was only yards from the road, the ground sloping up above her head hiding her from view. She got up and brushed the dirt from her self, head shooting up when a pick-up truck drove by her position. She scrambled up the incline to the road and again tripped in her fatigue, falling to her knees on the gravel shoulder of the road. Taking a breath she nearly fell back down into the forest as a car slammed on its brakes in front of her. She looked up to see a tall black man wearing a hat emerge before her. She scrambled off to the side trying to regain her footing. She prayed it wasn't one of the men who'd kidnapped her.

-

Jack slowed to a stop as he saw Sam stop Daniels car.

"What? Why are we stopping?" Daniel demanded. His nerves sure had been getting a work out the past week. He watched Jack as Jack watched his rear-view mirror with a frown. Suddenly he smiled and put the truck in reverse.

"Wha-" Daniel began as he looked behind them. He saw Teal'c get out of the car to stand over a girl who was getting up off the ground. Even in the dark he could recognize the form.

"Rachel" Daniel whispered, undoing his seatbelt as they got closer.

"Rachel?" a woman spoke getting out of the drivers seat of the car. Rachel frowned. The car looked like Daniels, but where was he? "It's okay we're friends of your fathers"

Rachel watched the woman carefully, trying to gauge if she was telling the truth. She was tired, hungry, in pain and so badly wanted to believe the woman, but Daniel would have come to get her himself wouldn't he? She saw the truck that had passed her before reversing down the road.

The truck stopped and the passenger door swung open, Daniel jumped out. He jogged over to where Teal'c was standing stoically beside the car.

"Rachel" he said carefully, not knowing if she would freak out or not if he moved towards her. She looked pretty beat up and was still watching Sam and Teal'c warily. Her eyes flickered towards Daniel now only a few steps from her. She bounded over to him and threw her arms around his neck, not letting go when he tried to pull away to get a better look at her. He rubbed her back soothingly and shot the others a look, not knowing what to do next. Finally she pulled away mumbling a 'sorry' as she glanced to the ground, pulling at her sleeves self-consciously. Looking up she shot Sam and Teal'c questioning looks.

"That's Sam and Teal'c" Daniel supplied gesturing to each of them. Rachel nodded before looking back at the forest nervously.

"Were you being followed?" Jack asked hoping they had enough time to get farther away.

"No"

"They let ya go?" Jack asked, wondering how she got away from people that most likely had guns. Rachel snorted,

"I escaped from the bunch of dumbasses"

"Really." Jack stated doubtfully. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest instantly regretting moving at all. She hissed in pain as both shoulders and her ribs made their displeasure known.

"Are you okay?" Daniel frowned realizing the extent of her injuries may lie beyond the bruises and cuts on the surface.

"Super"

"We should get going Sir" Sam suggested looking around the area. There were too many hiding places for the enemy and not quite as many for them at the moment and the soldier in her was shouting to get a move on. Jack nodded and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed a number and waited until someone picked up.

"Move in" he spoke and then hung up.

"Sir?" Sam turned to her commanding officer.

"Well we couldn't send reinforcements in with the chance of the kid getting hurt, but now it's fair game. I wouldn't let us go in without some sorta safety net anyways" he winked before getting in his truck, waving at Daniel to bring Rachel over so they could leave. Sam and Teal'c got in the car and back up enough so they could turn around and go back the way they'd come. Jack followed closely, not wanting to be too far separated from the rest of his team.

-

Jack waved to Sam as she and Teal'c drove to drop off Daniel's car at his apartment. A car was being sent to pick them up from there and bring them back to the base. Meanwhile, Jack and Daniel were on their way to take Rachel to the Air Force Academy Hospital to get checked out, much to her protest. Both men would have been fine with just letting her go home but after Daniel noticed a head wound he insisted that they make sure it was nothing serious.

"I'm fine" she tried one last time as they parked near the entrance to the hospital. Neither man responded as they all got out of the truck.

**"**You guys suck."

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Well there's a pretty long chapter for y'all…  
I have exams right now so I may a little slow putting up the next chapter… but it _will_ be up eventually.

And I apologize for any spelling or grammar mistakes in this chapter… I wrote it in between writing papers and studying, so it didn't have my complete attention.


	13. Part 13

"Is she all right?" Daniel asked the doctor as the older woman emerged from an examining room, Rachel trailing after her now wearing a hospital scrub shirt. She didn't look any happier than she did when she had gone in with the Doctor. Jack stood from the hard plastic seat he'd been in and stood beside Daniel.

"Well, she has a concussion, bruising around her ribs and one cracked rib, a second degree burn on her shoulder and a few other fairly deep bruises on her arms and legs." The doctor glanced at Rachel who was picking at the bandage on her hand. "I recommend that she get plenty of rest and stay off her feet for at least two weeks"

"Sweet" Rachel muttered glaring at Jack who swatted her hand away from picking at the bandage.

"I've prescribed a light painkiller, incase she needs it" the doctor handed the prescription sheet to Daniel, who looked at it trying to decipher the messy scrawl.

"Okay, thank you" He said smiling. The doctor motioned him off to the side, which Daniel followed having a hunch he knew what it was about.

"I'm not going to ask how she got these injuries," the doctor began. Jack had originally flashed his military ID stating that everything was classified when they'd brought Rachel in, making up some story about a car accident. Daniel glanced toward where Jack was talking to Rachel before turning back to the short woman before him. He noticed that Rachel obviously didn't care what Jack was saying, and had resumed picking at her bandages.

"But I am going to suggest she see a psychologist about it." Daniel opened his mouth to protest, but was silenced by the doctor. "Her injuries aren't from a car accident, Doctor Jackson, I wasn't born yesterday. Get her to see someone." Daniel conceded and nodded. The doctor smiled tightly and walked away. Daniel made his way over to his teammate and daughter.

"Ready to go?" he asked Rachel who looked dead on her feet. She nodded slightly, wincing as the throbbing in her head increased ten fold.

They made a stop at the pharmacy in the hospital, which was always open late, before getting into Jacks truck and heading towards Daniel's apartment. Daniel explained to Rachel that they were going to stay at Jack's house for the night, just incase the clean-up crew didn't get all of the kidnappers at the warehouses. They would just stop by the apartment briefly so they could get some clothes and Daniel could get his car.

Jack led the way as they all climbed the stairs. Their pace was much slower than normal on account of Rachel's sluggish movement. A few minutes later the trio ventured back down the stairs to their respective cars, Daniel carrying Rachel's backpack with her clothes in it, and a bag of his own things as well.

They followed Jack back to his house and Rachel followed the men into the house tiredly. Much to her protest the doctor at the hospital had given her a shot with some sort of painkiller and muscle relaxant in it. Only now was it really starting to work and it was making her very sleepy.

"You can have the guest room, Daniel you get the couch" Jack said to father and daughter.

"Are you hungry?" Jack asked next, eyeing the drowsy girl worriedly. She shook her head a bit.

"Hey are you alright?" Daniel stepped up to her and grasped her elbow gently. She glanced at Daniel with unfocused eyes.

"Fine… doctor gave me something … s'making me tired," she mumbled. Daniel let out a small sigh of relief. Guiding her to the guest room he made sure she was okay by herself, before leaving so she could change into her pajamas. He didn't stray far from the door just in case, and waited shaking his head every time he heard a muffled curse through the door.

Getting dressed alone was hell with injured rib or any other injury for that matter, but Daniel suspected that even in her lethargic state Rachel would adamantly refuse any help. He waited a couple more minutes before knocking. Hearing no response he entered slowly, peeking in the room. He opened the door fully upon seeing Rachel in pajama pants and a big sweatshirt sound asleep on the bed. He carefully moved her so she was under the covers.

Anger flared to the surface as he saw a huge purple – almost black – bruise on her leg as her pajama pant leg rose a little with movement. Tucking the covers in around her, he brushed some hair from her bruised face and leaned over kissing her on the forehead, well aware of the fact that if she knew he did that she'd be pissed. That brought a small smile to his face as he left the room, leaving the door half open. He went down to the living room where Jack was sitting drinking a beer.

Jack reached over and grabbed another beer from the table beside him, handing it to Daniel. Not normally a drinker, Daniel took it gratefully, taking a longgulp before settling into the recliner beside the couch.

Jack watched his friend.

"She asleep?" Daniel nodded and ran a hand over his face.

"Yeah."

"I called the base. The clean-up team's pretty sure they've got all of them"

"That's good" Daniel felt all of his anger being taken over by sheer exhaustion.

"What did the doctor say?" Jack asked referring to when she'd pulled Daniel aside at the hospital.

"She wants Rachel to see a psychologist… she didn't believe the car accident story."

"Figured no one would, but it looks less suspicious in paperwork than torture" Jack immediately regretted his choice of words as Daniel winced. But both men knew that Rachel had been tortured. Her injuries were definitely not as bad as it could have been though. Daniel sighed.

"Yeah but I doubt it's the first time she's been beat up like that" he commented taking a large gulp of his beer. Jacks eyebrows rose at that piece of information.

"What makes you say that?"

"...Foster care sucks" Daniel answered, unconsciously using a very popular word in his daughters' vocabulary.

"Did she mention anything?"

"No but her mom did say she suspected that she was abused"

"Maybe she _should_ see someone then" Jack said slowly. He didn't want to overstep any boundaries.

"Probably." Jack finished off his beer and stood up.

"Well I'm gonna hit the sack. There's blankets and a pillow in the hall closet" he said patting his friends shoulder briefly as he left the room.

Daniel stared into the fire, absently picking at the label on the beer bottle. The following days would be hard, especially when Rachel would almost definitely want to know _why_ she had been kidnapped. He'd have to talk to Jack first so they could make up something to explain what a Harcesis was, without actually telling her the truth.  
Yawning, Daniel put his beer on the table and went to get some blankets. He was going to need his sleep if he had to face a tired, grumpy, and in all likeliness, extremely pissed off sixteen year old the next day.

* * *

well this chapter was short and pointless i know... but i needed a transition to the next part... sort of...

* * *

Please Review

It's helpful to know what people think, and it's just simply nice to see review alerts in my email inbox :-D

* * *


	14. Part 14

"Ugggh" Rachel groaned as she awoke. Everything hurt. She was sure her bruises had bruises and that if she moved her arms would fall off. The sun was shining in through the window across from the bed and the bright light was sending waves of pain through her head. Biting her lip in pain she carefully sat up and brought her legs around so she was sitting on the edge of the bed. She looked around the room, vaguely recalling she was at Colonel O'Neill's house. She stood slowly and remained still as the room stopped spinning.

Somewhat confident she wouldn't pass out if she moved, she walked to the door and ventured into the hallway of the strange house. Normally she would have never walked out in her nightclothes, but she was well aware of how much it would hurt trying to get in and out of pants and shirts.  
After a considerable amount of time she made it to the kitchen where her dad's voice was speaking quietly. Pausing outside the doorway, out of view, Rachel listened.

"Maybe she'll have forgotten?" Jacks voice sounded hopefully.

"I highly doubt that Jack."

"We'll just tell her it's some code name for a military thing" Rachel frowned, wondering why they were trying to make up stories to tell her – she assumed they were talking about her anyways. Deciding she didn't want to hear anymore, she walked stiffly into the kitchen startling both men.

"Morning" she muttered sitting gingerly in a chair at the table, well aware that it was early in the afternoon.

"How are you feeling?" Daniel asked watching her closely. She appeared to be hurting.

"Fine"

"You look like you're in pain," he pointed out.

"It's nothing"

"Are you sure?" Rachel rolled her eyes, instantly regretting it as her head pounded behind her eyes.

"Yeah I'm fine"

"These are painkillers the doctor prescribed for you…" Daniel offered, setting them in front of her. She eyed them warily, and pushed them back towards him.

"I'm _fine_," she said looking him in the eye.

"Are you hungry?" Jack interrupted.

"No…" she sighed as Jack placed a plate with bacon, eggs and toast on it, in front of her. She _was_ hungry but her ribs were making it hurt to breath and she just wanted to be as still as possible. A few moments of both men watching her made her pick up a piece of toast and take a tiny bite. That seemed to satisfy them for the time being.

"So do you have any questions or anything about what happened?" Daniel asked. Rachel thought back to what she heard them talking about before. It wasn't likely they'd tell her the truth, so why waste everyone's time?

"Nope."

"No?"

"No."

"Really…" Jack watched her closely; she really seemed to not want to know anything.

"Yup"

"Are you sure?"

"… …"

"Okay then"

There was silence for a few moments as both men continued to watch Rachel pick at her food. She kept shifting uncomfortably and was trying to not look too obvious as she held her side.

"You really should take the pain medicine." Daniel finally spoke up.

"I told you I'm fine" Rachel was losing her patience. Between the pain and the nausea from just the smell of food – from not eating in almost two days - she tried to remain pleasant.

"No you're not, its obvious you're in pain"

"And about to throw up" Jack added moving her plate away. She shot him a grateful look. Daniel replaced the pills in front of her.

"Okay. Yes I hurt, but I'm not taking the pills alright?" She managed to rise from her seat with out too much of a problem. She reached over and replaced the pills in front of Daniel and left the room.

"Wonder why she wont take them…" Jack muttered thinking the kid may have gotten a few screws knocked loose in her head. Daniel thought hard before it dawned on him.

"Her mom was into drugs, mainly pills, and drinking when she was younger… it's what got her put in foster care"

"And she doesn't want to become … addicted to them?" Jack surmised. It was a reasonable fear. But the medication the doctor had prescribed wasn't really all that strong.

"Guess so." They sat in silence drinking their coffee before Daniel decided to go talk to her.

---

Knocking lightly on the open door, Daniel walked in with a bottle of water and the pain pills in his hands. Rachel looked up at him from her leg. She was looking at the bruise on her knee from when one of the kidnappers had kicked her.

"That looks like it hurts" She watched him, her gaze moving from his face to what was in his hands.

"I'm not taking anything for it" She stated pulling her pant leg down.

"Why?" She shrugged and then winced in pain at the movement.

"Why?" he asked again sitting in the desk chair across from where she was sitting on the bed.

"It's unnecessary"

"You're in pain, and these can stop it" he shook the small bottle.

"No." she rubbed her eyes. "I'm tired, I'm going to go back to sleep" she said trying to make him leave.

"Why won't you take anything? Is it because your mom was hooked on pills when you were little?" She looked at him oddly.

"That's what you think?"

"Well you're not exactly being forthcoming with other answers."

"That's not why. Those things aren't strong enough to get addicted to," she said. Daniel decided to ignore the fact she knew that.

"Then why? Cause I don't like seeing you in pain" She didn't answer. Instead she grabbed the bath towel that Jack had left on the desk before, and started for the door.

"I'm gonna take a shower"

"Please Rachel" Daniel said forlornly. She stopped with her back to him. "Please?" he tried again"

"What's the big deal?" she demanded turning to face him. He could see the fury and annoyance in her eyes. Daniel stood and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You're the one making it a big deal," he pointed out.

"Just drop it okay?" she requested her voice getting louder.

"No"

"Dan-"

"I won't drop it. Tell me why." He fished. She averted her eyes to the floor, trying not to lash out at him.

"Tell me"

"You wanna know why?" she said in a low quiet voice, her gaze slowly rising to meet his.

"Yes."

"Because," she started, her stare not wavering, "It let's me know I'm still alive". She watched him for a second before leaving the room and going in search of the bathroom.

Daniel sat down heavily into the chair, feeling like he'd been punched in the gut. Who had hurt her so badly that living in pain was the only way she knew she still existed? It made him want to throw up just thinking about it.

* * *

Please Review.

The next chapter is already written and will be up soon…


	15. Part 15

After her shower Rachel changed into some jeans and a different sweatshirt. She had spent quite a while in the bathroom trying to get out of her clothes with out screaming. The thought that maybe Daniel had had a point about the pills had crossed her mind many times while she undressed, bathed and finally redressed afterwards.

Feeling somewhat refreshed, she walked back to the kitchen, her muscles much more relaxed from the hot water, in search of something to eat. She found Jack in the kitchen making himself a sandwich.

"Where's Daniel?" she asked glancing around.

"He went to the base to check up on something, he'll be back in a couple hours," Jack said with a small smile. "Want one?" he asked motioning to his mid-afternoon snack.

"Sure"

Not too long after, Jack and Rachel settled down on the couch in the living room watching a sports channel that was replaying highlights from a hockey game.

"So why didn't you want to know anything about what those guys were holding ya for?" Jack brought up as he set his empty plate on the coffee table.

"Would you guys tell me the truth?" she said looking at him. He opened his mouth to say they would have but the look in her eyes told him to not even waste his breath.

"No"

"Then why bother asking right?" she shrugged slightly before groaning from the movement. "Owww" she moaned quietly.

"You know-"

"No" she knew what he was going to suggest.

"But you'd-"

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'm not-" A bright white flash enveloped Rachel and momentarily blinded Jack. When it subsided she was gone.

"Doh!"

---

Rachel reappeared in a large metal room.

"-taking those damn pills!" her voice echoed off the walls as she found herself standing on a platform of some sort.

"Greetings Rachel" an odd voice said from behind her making her turn around.

"HOLY SHIT!"

"Are you injured?"

"What the hell are you?"

"I am Thor, Supreme Commander of the Asgard Fleet." Rachel stared at the small gray …man … before her.

"Congratulations."

Thor stepped towards her and she hastily moved backwards. "Hey, hey that's close enough" she held out her arm in front of her.

"You have no reason to fear me"

"Is that a fact?" She said dryly.

"Would it make you more comfortable if your father or O'Neill were here?" Thor suggested tilting his head to the side curiously. Humans were indeed strange beings. He walked to the control panel near him and moved a crystal over a few inches. In a matter of seconds there was a flash of light and both Daniel and Jack were standing a few feet from Rachel.

Her jaw dropped as she saw them.

"What the fuck?"

"Hey watch your mouth" Jack said sighing. Things had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.

"Daniel?" she spoke up, afterscowling at Jack. Daniel was slightly confused as to why he was on an Asguard ship and not in his office anymore.

"Yeah?"

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?" Rachel yelled.

"Right. About that… umm… Jack?"

"Told ya my plan would work" Jack shrugged realizing someone should have called Thor and mentioned they'd already gotten Rachel home safely.

"Hey Thor, could you beam us down into the briefing room at the SGC?"

"_Beam_ us down?" Rachel gawked.

"Thanks for your help" Jack acknowledged with a nod of his head, ignoring Rachel. And with that the three people were beamed into the briefing room at the SGC.

Right in the middle of a debriefing.

"Colonel…" Hammond stood up, the team of marines with him stood as well.

"General…" Jack was not looking forward to explaining this.

"Doctor Jackson?"

"General" Daniel started but found himself at a loss for words. "Jack?" he turned it over to his friend.

"Daniel."

"Jack."

"Colonel!"

"General,"

"Good grief, shut up!" Rachel ordered. All three men stopped and looked at her in surprise. It was not everyday a teenager, or anyone for that matter, told a General to shut up.

"Excuse me miss, but that was uncalled for" General Hammond began.

"No it wasn't." she stated. Everyone in the room's jaws dropped. "_Me_ getting chased and then _kidnapped_ by some pretty fucked up people, getting the shit kicked outta me repeatedlyand then getting _beamed_ up by some gray dude into what? - A SPACESHIP?!" she took a breath, "THAT'S uncalled for." She huffed, crossing her arms delicately over her chest. Hammonds face flared red with anger. He looked pointedly at Jack, who was still staring in shock at the girl.

"_Colonel_?"

"Yes Sir" Jack answered the unspoken order. He motioned to the door with his head and he and Daniel led a very angry Rachel from the room.

"The shit just hit the fan," Jack muttered.

"No kidding," Rachel grumbled as she followed them down a long corridor. They walked into the elevator and stood with Rachel in front of Jack and Daniel, who were shoulder to shoulder. "You guys _are _going to explain this right?"

* * *

Sorry its so short, but this week is gonna be busy. I have 5 exams and two 15-page assignments due and I am, to say the least, a little stressed.

Ah the life of an anthropology major.

So the next update may take a while…

Please Review.


	16. Part 16

Jack led father and daughter to the commissary, the only place he could think of to take the fuming teen. He motioned for Daniel to go sit with Rachel while he got food. Daniel sat down beside his daughter at a table in the corner of the room, acutely aware of the stares they were getting. After a couple minutes of tense silence, Jack returned with Jello for all. He set a bowl of blue jello in front of Rachel and smiled stiffly as he sat across from her.

"I'm not five, dessert won't fix everything," she stated raising an eyebrow.

"It was worth a shot," Jack muttered as he swallowed a spoonful.

"Rachel listen… what just happened in the briefing room cannot happen again," Daniel began. She opened her mouth to protest but he held up a finger to silence her.

"He's-"

"An almighty, all powerful General, yeah I got that part"

"And you were disrespectful to him which reflects badly on us" Daniel hated having to lecture her for something that most likely anyone in her shoes would have done.

"Well sorry that it made you guys look bad, but we _were_ on an alien ship…"

"…Yeah" Daniel drew out.

"_A-li-ens_" she sounded out for them. "While it may be an everyday thing for you guys… that was the first otherworldly being that I've seen…" she trailed off and closed her eyes in frustration. "Shit. _Aliens_?" her gaze moved between Jack and Daniel, eventually coming to rest on her father. She didn't miss the questioning look Daniel shot Jack.

"Right, right. Classified?" she said twirling her spoon between her fingers, staring intently at it.

"Yup" Jack answered having finished his Jello.

"So I don't get to know anything then? No explanation for why I was suddenly on a spaceship and then beamed back down?"

"Um…"

"Well if you guys are going to feed me a line of bullshit don't bother telling me anything" she said upfront, hoping they'd tell her the truth because her brain was going a mile a minute trying to figure everything out.

"Colonel, Daniel?" came a female voice from behind Rachel and Daniel. Jack smiled warmly at the voices owner and gestured to the seat beside him.

"Join us Carter?" he offered.

"Thanks" she said sitting beside him holding a cup of coffee.

"Hello" Sam greeted Rachel. She and Teal'c had been informed of the situation concerning the girl and Thor.

"…Hey" Rachel said recognizing the woman from the previous night.

"Feeling okay?" Sam asked genuinely concerned.

"Yeah."

"She won't take any pain meds," Daniel said earning a kick in the side of his leg for the comment. "Well it's true," he said, looking pointedly at Rachel.

"If I'm not going to be told anything, then can we go?" Rachel asked looking worn out. Before anyone could answer her, SG1 and she were called to the briefing room over the loud speaker. Following the team out of the commissary Rachel mentally sighed. She knew her day was about to get much longer.

---

When they reached the briefing room Rachel followed her father and sat next to him at the table. General Hammond came in and sat down at the head of the table and began speaking.

"I've spoken with the president and he's authorized the disclosure of relevant information regarding what you've seen Miss Jackson" Rachel decided not to correct him about her last name, figuring that he'd be even more pissed at her.

"Oookay."

"Did your captors mention anything out of the ordinary to you?" Rachel figured he was trying to gauge how much she knew, and then base what he'd tell her on that.

"Define ordinary," she said lightly.

"Did they talk about or show you anything you'd never seen before?"

"I was blindfolded the whole time and the only things they mentioned were a stargate and someone called a Harcesis." She shrugged, managing to bite back the curse that almost escaped her at the movement that jarred her injuries.

"Did they explain those things to you?" Hammond asked watching her closely to see if she would tell the truth. Rachel watched him watch her for a moment before answering.

"No"

"Are you sure?" Hammond questioned. Daniel could tell it was taking every ounce of self-control in the girl to keep from snapping at the older man.

"Yes"

"And what do you remember from today?" he continued.

"Got beamed up, then beamed down again"

"What happened while you were beamed up?"

Rachel made a quick scan of everyone's faces. They were all watching her intently, even the man who was introduced as Teal'c.

"Nothing much"

"She was only up there for about a minute before Daniel and I joined her Sir" Jack added.

"Did you speak at all with Thor?" Hammond asked, trying not to sound like it was too important.

"All I said was 'Holy shit' and then he did his whole 'we come in peace' speech and that was all"

"Are you sure?" Rachel nodded slightly, worried that if she opened her mouth she'd say something unforgivable. His questions were getting irritating very quickly.

"Well would you like to know anything, then?" he asked deciding to see what she wanted to find out and go from there.

"No that's really alright, I just want to go home and relax." She said dismissively.

"But-" Daniel began, but was interrupted by Rachel.

"No, I don't want to know. You guys have some crazy shit going on down here that I'm not sure I want to know about. I wont tell anyone what I've seen or whatever, and I'll sign any disclosure things you want me to, but I really don't think I want to be involved with all of this right now."

"Alright then," Hammond smiled after a few moments of silence. The girl had just made his job so much easier. "If that's all, Major would you get the disclosure papers prepared for Miss Jackson to sign," he then turned to face Rachel, "and then you can go home and rest" he smiled warmly. "Dismissed." With that, Hammond got up and left the room to his office.

It didn't take long for Sam to organize the papers and get them all signed, allowing Daniel and Jack to take Rachel back to Jacks house.

* * *

Sorry for the long wait, but I had very little computer time over Christmas break… Chapters will be up more regularly from now on. HOORAY!  
(and it will get more interesting...)

Please review


	17. Part 17

By the time they got back to the house it was well after dinnertime and Rachel was getting tired. Jack ordered Chinese food and Jack and Rachel sat in the living room and watched TV while Daniel changed his clothes in the guest room that Rachel whad beenstaying in.

Daniel emerged a couple minutes later and handed Rachel her cell phone.

"It was ringing," he said as he sat down. He watched her check her messages and she scowled as she heard the message. Sighing she punched in a phone number and waited for someone to pick up.

"Hey" she said in a low voice. She picked at her bandaged hand in a bored manner.

"Yes… no… …Fine… …he's fine too… yeah… …whatever… yeah… okay, bye" She hung up and turned the small blue phone off.

"Your mom?" Daniel asked, having seen the caller ID before in the bedroom.

"Yeah" her scowl deepened.

"What did she want?"

"She wasn't getting an answer at your place and got worried" Rachel turned her attention to the television.

"You should probably think about going to see her sometime" Daniel brought up. Rachel nodded slowly, her attention remaining on the TV show.

"I'm sure she'd like that," he added.

"Whatever" Rachel shrugged gently.

Hearing a knock at the door Jack got up and paid for their dinner. After dinner was finished Rachel went to bed leaving Daniel and Jack sitting in the living room talking about moving back into the apartment the next day.

---

The next morning after Daniel finally coaxed Rachel out of bed, they went back to the apartment and got settled in. It was late in the afternoon when the phone rang interrupting the television show Rachel was watching and the archaeology journal Daniel was reading.

"Hello?" Daniel answered.

_"Hi is Rachel there?"_ a male voice asked.

"It's for you" Daniel said handing the phone to her.

"Hello?" she asked wondering who was phoning her on the home phone and not her cell.

_"Hey girly" _

"Ev man what's up?" she smiled into the phone. Evan James was one of her best friends and one of the few people that could make her smile by just talking.

_"Where you been? I've been trying to call you for the last few days."_

"I've been… busy" she responded knowing he wouldn't buy it.

_"Dear ol' dad's being nice?"_ he asked lightly, but she knew he was making sure Daniel wasn't hurting her.

"Everything's cool Ev, don't worry"

_"You're sure? You sound weird,"_ he commented never one for subtleties.

"I had a bit of an accident," she said shrugging at Daniels curious look. What else was she supposed to say?

_"Are you okay?"_ he sounded worried now.

"Yeah, just banged up a bit, no biggie."

_"I want to see you."_ He stated leaving no room for argument. Rachel heard a voice in the background say something. _"Derrick does too,"_ Evan said, making Rachel chuckle. They were like two _very _protective brothers.

"Got to stay in man, doctors orders," she said. She was in all honesty feeling better, but still was in uite a bit of pain.

"You _can_ have friends over Rachel" Daniel said.

_"Yeah listen to the man,"_ Evan said having heard Daniel over the phone.

"You guys wanna come over for a bit then?" she sighed. She wasn't sure that she wanted Daniel to meet her friends. Her mother had hated them thinking they were a bad influence on her.

_"You bet. Be there in half an hour,"_ Evan said before hanging up and going in search of her address she'd written down for him the week before.

"So who's coming over?" Daniel asked glancing up from his article.

"Evan and Derrick"

"The ones you went out with before?"

"Yeah"

"Well that's good… I have to go into the base for a couple hours for a briefing."

"You just want them to baby-sit me don't you?" she asked raising an eyebrow. She wasn't mad, just found itamusing that he was afraid to leave her home alone.

"Pretty much."

Rachel continued watching TV until she heard the hard knock characteristic of her friend. She got up and slowly made her way to the door. She opened it to the two familiar faces of Evan and Derrick. This week Derrick had blue hair… and a new eyebrow piercing, Rachel noted.

"Hey guys" she smiled at their frowns.

"Shit. What the hell happened to you?" Derrick said as they stepped in. His green eyes scanned the bruises on her face. He tilted her chin up to look at the fading bruise on it.

"Just an accident" she rolled her eyes.

"Bullshit" Evan said eyeing her carefully. He always knew when she was lying.

"Guys it's nothing" she said with finality in her voice. They knew that conversation was over.

"So lets meet Dad" Derrick grinned rubbing his hands together.

"Be nice" Rachel said looking pointedly at them. Evan brought his hand to his chest feigning hurt.

"Whenare wenot?" he asked. She didn't answer; instead she led them to the living room just as Daniel was getting up to leave.

"Hi" Daniel greeted, smiling at the two boys standing beside his daughter. One had green eyes and blue hair and was about as tall as himself. The other had dark hair, icy blue eyes, and was probably as tall as Jack. Both looked wary of him.

"Hey" they chorused.

"Daniel this is Derrick" she said pointing to blue hair, "and Evan" she pointed to the taller boy.

"Guys this is my dad Daniel" she said only just barely stumbling over the word 'dad', making Daniel smile and the boys raise their eyebrows.

"Well it was nice to meet you, but I've got to get to work," Daniel then looked at Rachel "Call if you need anything" She rolled her eyes before nodding. He left the room and Rachel gestured to the couch and her friends made themselves at home.

"I think we're in the Twilight Zone man," Derrick said to Evan. The other boy snorted in response.

"Yeah really"

"Shut up" Rachel stuck out her tongue and gingerly sat down on the couch beside Evan. Derrick was in the chair that Daniel had just vacated. Evan watched Rachel. She seemed happy, and actually was pleasant with Daniel. But not wanting to talk about her injuries was worrying him. She caught his stare and shot him a questioning look.

"You've got some explaining to do girly."

* * *

**Thank you to all who reviewd the last chapter. I LOVE you guys!**

**There will be more SG1, aliens, action, adventure, etc. to come... i'm just establishing some new characters right now :-D **

**Please Review.**


	18. Part 18

"What's with the bruises?" Evan asked again. Rachel dropped her gaze from his. She never lied to her friends and wasn't about to start.

"If I tell you guys you have to promise to just accept it and move on." She was silent until both reluctantly agreed.

" I was kidnapped by some enemies of my dads and his colleagues for a day or so, got beat up a bit, but otherwise I'm fine" she answered. The boys looked at each other for a moment before looking back at her. "I can't tell you more, and you cant tell anyone okay?" she asked.

"But you're okay right?" Derrick asked.

"I'm _fine_"

"You're sure?" Evan put in. She glared at him and didn't answer.

"You guys want to order a pizza or something?" she changed the subject. After a moment of silence both of her friends nodded.

"Can we get anchovies?" Derrick asked hopefully.

"No!" Rachel and Evan replied in unison.

"Oh come on guys,"

"No."

"But they're good…"

---

"Hey Jack," Daniel said as his friend walked into his office.

"Shouldn't you be home with the kid?" Jack raised his eyebrows. Daniel put down his pen and notebook sensing Jack's visit wasn't going to be short.

"She has some friends over, so I decided to get some work done."

"Friends?"

"Yes Jack, she has friends."

"Are they nice?"

"They seemed okay." Daniel shrugged.

"Are they having a sleepover or something?" Daniel sprayed his gulp of coffee all over his desk.

"I certainly hope not!" Daniel rasped out.

"…Why?"

"Her friends, _Evan_ and _Derrick_, are not sleeping over!"

"Ah," Jack said. "Are both of 'em _just _her friends?" Jack was beginning to feel as protective for the girl as hewas with Cassie.

"I think so," Daniel asked. He wasn't sure he wanted to delve into the fact his daughter could have a boyfriend.

"Have you had _the _talk with her yet?" Jack asked knowing Daniel hadn't but was having too much fun messing with him.

"I don't even want to think about that," Daniel said sighing.

"You should sometime though," Jack said seriously.

"Why? She probably knows everything."

"It's still a good idea… any parenting book would say so." Jack shrugged.

"… oookay"

"Maybe do it before she's fully mobile again and cant just get up and walk away." Jack teased with a smirk.

"Don't you have work to do?" Daniel said tiredly as he mopped up some of his coffee.

"Nope"

"You could go bother Sam." Daniel suggested.

"Me? Be a bother? Never." Jack said not mentioning that he'd just come from Sam's lab. He picked up a stone slate with hieroglyphs on it pulling out of Daniel's reach as he grabbed for it.

"Jaaack."

"Daniel?"

"Jack."

"Dan-iel?" Jack answered in a singsong voice.

"I have work to do."

"Then work."

"You're a distraction"

"No I'm not"

"Jack."

"Daniel"

"_Jack_"

"Daniel"

"**Jack** leave, please"

"Alright, alright" Jack gave in holding up his hands.

"Thank you" Daniel sighed as his friend left the room. He only had a few hours left of work to do and wanted to get it done before he went home.

---

"Dude, I think she's asleep," Derrick said pointing to where Rachel was sleeping with her head on Evans legs.

"No kidding" Evan rolled his eyes. Derrick wasn't always the brightest crayon in the box.

"Should we leave?" the blue haired boy asked.

"Nah, we'll wait till her dad gets back" Evan replied quietly. Rachel shifted slightly, her hair falling in her face.

"Weird how they actually get along huh?" Derrick said looking at his sleeping pal. Evan nodded.

"Guys I can hear you" Rachel mumbled poking Evans leg with her finger.

All three turned their heads as the front door opened and Daniel came in.

"Well Rach, we're gonna go," Evan said maneuvering his way out from beneath her.

"'Kay" she muttered, closing her eyes.

"Later" Derrick said patting her head as he passed her. She swatted at his hand aimlessly.

"Bye" Evan nodded to Daniel who let them pass and followed them to the door, locking it once they'd left.

Daniel returned to the living room and sat on the coffee table in front of Rachel who was drifting off again.

"Tired?" he asked. Her eyes opened slightly to look at him.

"Not really" she mumbled running a hand over her face. "Ev made me take the medicine," she grumbled. Daniel raised his eyebrows.

"Really? How'd he do that?"

"He told me to" she answered simply looking at Daniel with her glazed eyes. The pharmacist had said the drugs would make her a little loopy.

"And you listened?"

"I always listen to Ev" she closed her eyes for a few moments before looking at Daniel again. "He told me to go visit mom too," she said trying to focus on Daniel.

"Smart guy" Daniel said watching her. She seemed to be unusually chatty. "Are you going to?"

"I …don't want to… I think" she frowned slightly.

"Why?"

"Cause"

"Cause why?"

"Cause she's dying"

"Shouldn't that be reason to go see her?"

"She'll be worse then last week…" Rachel said struggling to sit up.

"Maybe not-"

"She will. The doctor told her she could die anytime, why do you think she shipped me off so fast?" she said bitterly, sobering up quite a bit.

"So why don't you want to see her then?" Daniel asked softly knowing he was treading on thin ice.

"I don't want to lose her again," Rachel said quietly. There were tears in her eyes but none fell. Daniel could see she was fighting to keep them at bay. He moved to sit beside her and cautiously put and arm around her shoulders gently pulling her to him. She rested her head wearily on his shoulder and breathed deeply.

"I remember you" she muttered her head drooping tiredly.

"What?" Daniel was slightly put off by the statement.

"You smell the same," she said just as cryptically.

"Same as what?"

"As before"

"Before?"

"Yeah" she said as she drifted off to sleep, not answering his question. Sighing he stood and picked her up, hoping he wasn't jarring her injuries. He carried her to her room and tucked her in. Though drug induced, it was nice to have heard her speak more than one sentence to him.

* * *

**Thank you to all who have reviewed so far, you guys rock!!**

**More SG1, aliens, drama and such to come in the next chapter!!**

**Please Review. It makes this tired university student very happy! :-D **


	19. Part 19

"Morning" Daniel greeted as Rachel walked into the kitchen. He sipped his coffee as she tiredly sat down on a stool at the counter.

"Want breakfast?" she shook her head.

"Coffee?" she asked.

"You shouldn't have coffee with your medication" he pointed out.

"I'm not going to take any today" Daniel opened his mouth to protest, but was silenced by a glare.

"Cream and sugar?" he asked clearing his throat as he reached for a clean mug.

---

"Sir there's an unidentified object entering the solar system," a young technician reported to the man beside him.

"Son I don't see anything" the older man stated studying the computer screen before them.

"It was just there, I swear."

"How big?"

"Big. At least one square mile" the older man looked at him skeptically. "Honestly sir" the young man said confidently.

"Alright. Give level twenty-eight a call and let them know what you saw, I have a feeling they'll be interested in it."

"Yes sir."

The older man left his colleague to make the call wondering if maybe the SGC, below them, were responsible for whatever was miles above the planet. Thinking twice, he decided he really didn't want to know.

---

"…alright, thank you" Sam said as she got off the phone with a technician up at NORAD. She shut down the equipment she was using and left her lab to go talk to the general.

"Carter, whatcha doin?" Jack asked as he caught up to her.

"Follow me to General Hammonds office and I'll tell both of you" she stated as they rode the elevator together.

Upon knocking on Hammonds open office door, Jack and then Sam entered.

"Something the matter?" Hammond asked shutting his laptop.

"Sir, I just got a call from a technician up in NORAD saying he saw something enter the solar system, but then it disappeared."

"Asgaurd?" Jack asked.

"No I don't think so, they usually remain cloaked the entire time… however if a Goa'uld ship was coming out of hyperspace and then engaged their cloaking device it could explain what the technician saw." She said having thought of that possibility on the way to Hammond's office.

"You think there may be a Goa'uld ship above earth?" Hammond asked leaning forward.

"It is a possibility Sir" Sam nodded.

"Can you be sure?"

"No sir, we have no way of tracing them unless they uncloak their ship."

"You're sure it's a ship?"

"NORAD said it was at least a square mile big"

"Damn," Jack muttered.

"Yes Sir."

"So we just wait and see what they want?"

"It seems that way Colonel…" General Hammond said grimly. He reached for his red telephone to call the President. There was nothing they could do, but he was still obliged to inform the White House of any potential dangers.

"Keep me posted." He said to the two before turning his full attention to his phone call.

Sam and Jack left his office and began making their way to the elevators.

"Wonder what they want…" Sam said as they slowed at a fork in the hallway. Jack thought for a moment before answering.

"Well, they're either here to enslave us all, or are looking for something or someone in particular."

---

"You actually have to work on the weekends?" Rachel asked Daniel, as he got ready to go to the base.

"Yeah, but not always"

"That sucks" she commented. She was much more awake, now working on her third cup of coffee.

"You can have Evan and Derrick over if you want" Daniel suggested.

"I'm not grounded anymore for getting suspended?" she asked. Daniel had totally forgotten about that.

"Uh, right. How about you're not grounded anymore… don't do it again?" he raised his eyebrows in question. "Did that sound at all parent-like?" he said gaining a chuckle from his daughter.

"Oh, for sure" she winked.

"Okay well I'm off, be careful," he said draining the last of the coffee from his cup, and leaving the apartment.

Reaching to grab the phone Rachel happily noticed that her ribs and shoulder didn't hurt as much anymore when she moved.

"Sweet" she muttered. Dialing Evan's number she waited four rings before he picked up.

"This better be good," he mumbled tiredly.

"Wake up ya bum!" Rachel laughed into the phone.

"Waddaya want?" he said a little more lucidly.

"You guys want to hang out today?" she asked.

"Rach, its like eight in the freakin' morning… couldn't this have waited till at least noon?" he asked. She knew from experience that he was also probably pouting.

"Nope, now get up. I'm going to call Derrick. Be here by 8:45" she grinned into the phone and hung up before he could respond. She called Derrick's cell phone and waited even longer for him to pick up. She was greeted by a groan.

"Hey, be at my place by 8:45"

"… … …" Rachel could have sworn she heard him snoring.

"Derrick!" she yelled into the phone.

"Wha- oh. Eight forty five, 'kay" he yawned. Rachel hung up and decided to have a quick shower before they came over.

Both boys were over by eight thirty and demanding they be fed. Rachel conceded since she had woken them up. They were all eating in the kitchen when Daniel came scurrying back into the apartment.

"Back so soon?" Rachel asked.

"I forgot some work" he shrugged absently as he ventured into his office.

"You guys done?" she asked her friends. At their nods, she gathered the plates and put them in the sink. The three of them left the kitchen nearly knocking Daniel over as he rushed out of his office.

"I'll be back later," he said to Rachel. She opened her mouth to tell him they were going out for the day when a dull light engulfed the teenagers and in a split second they were gone.

"Oh for crying out loud" Daniel muttered to the empty apartment.

---

Evan, Derrick and Rachel reappeared in a small dark cell, on what seemed like a ship. Rachel sighed, closing her eyes briefly.

"This is getting old…"

* * *

**WOO HOO! 2 chapters in 2 days… lol I think that's a record for me…**

**Thank you to all who reviewed the last chapter!!**

**CHOCOLATE COVEREDDANIEL JACKSONSTO ALL OF YOU!  
(or chocolate Sam's if any of you are guys...)**

**Please review… it makes me type faster (really it does!)**


	20. Part 20

"Uh Rach? Where are we?" Derrick asked looking around the cell they were in.

"I'm not sure," she answered. She was fairly certain it wasn't an Asguard ship, but was at a loss to who their captors might be.

Clanging footsteps could be heard from around the corner, and seemed to be getting closer. The sound alone was frightening enough to make all three take an involuntary step back. Four men dressed in armor and bearing odd symbols on their foreheads approached the metal bars of the cell. One punched a code into the keypad beside the entrance and two of them entered once the bars slid open.

"You will be presented to you're god" one spoke. Rachel raised an eyebrow and her friends shared a confused look over her head.

"No thanks" she said crossing her arms over her chest defiantly. The man that had spoken stepped forward and backhanded her across the face, sending her crashing into Evan and Derrick.

"Hey!" Evan lunged at the man, but was easily pushed to the ground achieving only in getting a metal boot in the gut. He coughed and sputtered before standing up, cradling his midsection.

"You will come at once" was the gruff order. All three were pushed from the cell and led down a series of winding hallways before finally reaching an ornately decorated, dimly lit, chamber. The dull lighting made the golden walls glow eerily.

"What the hell?" Evan muttered, gazing around the room curiously. The man behind him forced him to his knees and promptly tied his hands together with a thin wire. Rachel and Derrick were soon forced to follow suit.

"Why are we here?" Rachel asked glancing up at the huge man to her left. His intense gaze flickered down at her for a moment, before moving back to stare at the empty throne before them.

"Not one for small talk huh?" she asked ignoring her friends' looks of disbelief at her.

"Silence!" The man beside her boomed, grabbing a fistful of her hair. She momentarily hoped he wasn't ripping the stitches in her head from her last kidnapping. _My last kidnapping_, she thought sourly.

"Okay!" she yelped as he jerked her by her hair once more before letting go. She wished she had use of her hands to check if all her hair was still attached to her head.

"Where are we?" Derrick whispered beside her, drawing her from her thoughts.

"On a spaceship?" she whispered back, leaning towards him as she did so. He raised his eyebrows and she saw Evan lean forward slightly giving her a questioning look.

"A spaceship - as in a ship… up in space? Like _aliens_?" Derrick asked. He was far easier to convince of things than Evan ever was.

"I think so,"

"Sweet!" Derrick grinned.

"No _not_ sweet, dummy." Evan elbowed the boy as best he could and fixed him with a glare. "We're tied up, and were in a cell… I don't think we're here cause they want to enjoy our sunny personalities".

"Oh" the guard standing behind Derrick kneed the boy in the back.

"Silence." Opting to listen to the man, Rachel and her friends stared forward waiting for the 'god' to arrive. A man dressed like the others in the room entered and stood next to the throne like chair. Rachel noticed that the symbol on his forehead was actually gold and not just a tattoo like on the others. _Is he this god-guy?_ She wondered.

"Attention," he called to all in the room, but more specifically to the three teenagers on their knees before him. All eyes turned to him. "Bow before your god- "

---

"O'Neill" Jack picked up his office phone. He was sitting at his desk playing solitaire on the computer.

"Jack!"

"Daniel? What's wrong?" he frowned.

"Rachel and her friends disappeared" Daniel said trying not to mention aliens over a non-secure line.

"Where to?"

"Up" Daniel said cryptically.

"As in our gray friend kind of up?" Jack turned off his game.

"Yeah but different" Daniel sighed. He was driving as fast as he could without risking getting a ticket, but it still wasn't fast enough.

"Different…?" Jack drawled out. He was getting very confused.

Daniel thought for a moment on how to describe the flash that had taken the kids. It wasn't exactly like Asgaurd technology, but it was similar.

"Yeah uh…like Osiris in my bedroom different." Daniel stated, thinking that if anyone was listening in on the conversation, that they'd be completely lost.

"Ah. Are you coming in?"

"I'll be there in twenty minutes," Daniel said.

"Alright, I'll get everyone together in the briefing room"

"Okay" with that both men hung up.

Jack made his way out of his office to go round up Sam, Teal'c and General Hammond. Just as they all settled down at the table in the briefing room – minus Daniel – the stargate activated. Everyone hurried down to the control room and waited for some sort of identification code or message to come through. After a tense few moments, the technician at the dialing computer spoke up.

"Sir, receiving Tok'ra IDC"

"Open the iris" Hammond said, leading the way own to the control room. Just as SG1 and Hammond entered the gate room, Jacob Carter came down the metal ramp with a grim look on his face.

"Hello George" he greeted solemnly. "Sam" he nodded. "I think we should go to the briefing room," he said seriously. Hammond agreed, wishing he'd stayed in bed that morning, and they all went back up to the room.

Daniel burst into the briefing room worriedly a few minutes later, and was surprised to see Jacob there.

"Jacob…" He said slowly.

"Hello Daniel."

"What's going on?" Daniel asked sitting down beside Teal'c at the table.

"You're daughter and her friends were taken earlier?" Jacob asked, having already heard that much from O'Neill.

"Yeah, do you know who took them?" Daniel leaned forward clasping his hands nervously in front of him.

"Yes. We caught wind that a Goa'uld mother ship was making it's way to Earth a couple of days ago, and according to Sam, your sensors identified a large object entering the solar system earlier today. The Tok'ra are certain that there _is_ a Goa'uld ship above Earth as we speak."

"Do you know which snakehead?" Jack asked form his spot beside Hammond. Jacob turned slightly in his seat, and sighed, nodding his head.

"Yes. It's - "

---

Rachel and her friends silently watched the man in front of them as he bowed his head.

"Bow before your god … Anubis."

* * *

**YAY!  
** I made it to chapter 20!! This is the longest story I've ever written ...so far… and I couldn't have kept going (don't worry its not done yet!) without all of you who have reviewed.

So that being said I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed the first 20 chapters of Harbinger of Headaches… and I hope you enjoy the rest of the fic as well!

Thank you to:

**Patti, who?, Katie, Myra3, Misty, Alisa R, adora-chillwind, Kate, chilipepperz61, VampyrMoon, amefinch, Nighshae, wolfshy, mico, BitteBrigitte, Heather, spacemonkeylover, allieta, jnp, Luiki, secbeth, Virg, Dory Shotgun, tricky1379, tinypenguin, PentagonMerlin, Ruth, Kir, SSG Ret, Bakajin, Ansul, tessanlm, Alexi, kahless21, ShannaLee, kenmoresq, Rena, Silver rider, Kingy3, Joey's girl forever, debbycake, Amy, Tempus1, stargazer89 and ichargrl.**


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